Time-delayed publishing

ABSTRACT

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving an indication that a user of the social-networking system watched at least a portion of a program, determining that the user intended to watch the program, and generating a story in response to the determination. The story is published to the social-networking system a predetermined amount of time after receiving the indication.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 61/768,303 entitled “Sharing Television and VideoProgramming through Social Networking,” by Erick Tseng et al., filedFeb. 22, 2013.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to social networking.

BACKGROUND

A social-networking system, which may include a social-networkingwebsite, may enable its users (such as persons or organizations) tointeract with it and with each other through it. The social-networkingsystem may, with input from a user, create and store in thesocial-networking system a user profile associated with the user. Theuser profile may include demographic information, communication-channelinformation, and information on personal interests of the user. Thesocial-networking system may also, with input from a user, create andstore a record of relationships of the user with other users of thesocial-networking system, as well as provide services (e.g., wall posts,photo-sharing, event organization, messaging, games, or advertisements)to facilitate social interaction between or among users.

The social-networking system may send over one or more networks contentor messages related to its services to a mobile or other computingdevice of a user. A user may also install software applications on amobile or other computing device of the user for accessing a userprofile of the user and other data within the social-networking system.The social-networking system may generate a personalized set of contentobjects to display to a user, such as a newsfeed of aggregated storiesof other users connected to the user.

A mobile computing device—such as a smartphone, tablet computer, orlaptop computer—may include functionality for determining its location,direction, or orientation, such as a GPS receiver, compass, orgyroscope. Such a device may also include functionality for wirelesscommunication, such as BLUETOOTH communication, near-field communication(NFC), or infrared (IR) communication or communication with wirelesslocal area networks (WLANs) or cellular-telephone network. Such a devicemay also include one or more cameras, scanners, touchscreens,microphones, or speakers. Mobile computing devices may also executesoftware applications, such as games, web browsers, or social-networkingapplications. With social-networking applications, users may connect,communicate, and share information with other users in their socialnetworks.

SUMMARY OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

Particular embodiments may enhance a user's television viewingexperience by providing an application (“app”) to view recommended mediacontent and to select what to watch on the user's TV. The app may run onany computing device such as a smartphone and provides recommendationsfor media content that are based on social actions on a social network.The app interfaces with the user's set-top box (“STB”), multi-systemoperators (“MSOs”), and a social-networking system. Some embodiments ofthe app interface with a dongle of the social-networking system.

The app may delay publishing a story that a user watched a program insome embodiments. The app may determine that a user intended to watch aprogram in some embodiments. The app may generate a story and publishthe story a predetermined amount of time after receiving an indicationthat the user watched a portion of the program. In some embodiments, theapp may remove a story from the user's timeline upon receiving anindication that the user wants the post removed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example network environment associated with asocial-networking system;

FIG. 2 illustrates an example social graph;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example programming guide, which may be displayedon a mobile device or any other client system;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating an example method for updatingtime-sensitive content;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating an example method for determininguser subscriptions;

FIG. 6a is a flow chart illustrating an example embodiment forconfiguring the social TV app;

FIGS. 6b-6i illustrate example embodiments associated with the examplesteps of the flow chart illustrated in FIG. 6 a;

FIG. 7 illustrates an example embodiment of a show page;

FIG. 8 illustrates a second example embodiment of a show page;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example method for fast switchingbetween programs;

FIG. 10 illustrates an example timeline with example stories indicatingthat a user watched a program;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating an example method for time-delayedpublishing;

FIG. 12 illustrates an example embodiment of a search tool;

FIG. 13 illustrates an example embodiment of a filter tool;

FIG. 14 illustrates example entity information, which may be displayedon a client device or a television;

FIG. 15 is a flow chart illustrating an example method for linkingmultiple entities associated with media content;

FIG. 16 is an example chart illustrating the aggregation of “likes” to amain page;

FIG. 17 is a flow chart illustrating an example method for aggregatinglikes to a main page; and

FIG. 18 illustrates an example computer system.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example network environment 100 associated with asocial-networking system. Network environment 100 includes a clientsystem 130, a social-networking system 160, and a third-party system 170connected to each other by a network 110. Although FIG. 1 illustrates aparticular arrangement of client system 130, social-networking system160, third-party system 170, and network 110, this disclosurecontemplates any suitable arrangement of client system 130,social-networking system 160, third-party system 170, and network 110.As an example and not by way of limitation, two or more of client system130, social-networking system 160, and third-party system 170 may beconnected to each other directly, bypassing network 110. As anotherexample, two or more of client system 130, social-networking system 160,and third-party system 170 may be physically or logically co-locatedwith each other in whole or in part. Moreover, although FIG. 1illustrates a particular number of client systems 130, social-networkingsystems 160, third-party systems 170, and networks 110, this disclosurecontemplates any suitable number of client systems 130,social-networking systems 160, third-party systems 170, and networks110. As an example and not by way of limitation, network environment 100may include multiple client system 130, social-networking systems 160,third-party systems 170, and networks 110.

This disclosure contemplates any suitable network 110. As an example andnot by way of limitation, one or more portions of network 110 mayinclude an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual privatenetwork (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a widearea network (WAN), a wireless WAN (WWAN), a metropolitan area network(MAN), a portion of the Internet, a portion of the Public SwitchedTelephone Network (PSTN), a cellular telephone network, or a combinationof two or more of these. Network 110 may include one or more networks110.

Links 150 may connect client system 130, social-networking system 160,and third-party system 170 to communication network 110 or to eachother. This disclosure contemplates any suitable links 150. Inparticular embodiments, one or more links 150 include one or morewireline (such as for example Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) or Data OverCable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS)), wireless (such as forexample Wi-Fi or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access(WiMAX)), or optical (such as for example Synchronous Optical Network(SONET) or Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH)) links. In particularembodiments, one or more links 150 each include an ad hoc network, anintranet, an extranet, a VPN, a LAN, a WLAN, a WAN, a WWAN, a MAN, aportion of the Internet, a portion of the PSTN, a cellulartechnology-based network, a satellite communications technology-basednetwork, another link 150, or a combination of two or more such links150. Links 150 need not necessarily be the same throughout networkenvironment 100. One or more first links 150 may differ in one or morerespects from one or more second links 150.

In particular embodiments, client system 130 may be an electronic deviceincluding hardware, software, or embedded logic components or acombination of two or more such components and capable of carrying outthe appropriate functionalities implemented or supported by clientsystem 130. As an example and not by way of limitation, a client system130 may include a computer system such as a desktop computer, notebookor laptop computer, netbook, a tablet computer, e-book reader, GPSdevice, camera, personal digital assistant (PDA), handheld electronicdevice, cellular telephone, smartphone, other suitable electronicdevice, or any suitable combination thereof. This disclosurecontemplates any suitable client systems 130. A client system 130 mayenable a network user at client system 130 to access network 110. Aclient system 130 may enable its user to communicate with other users atother client systems 130.

In particular embodiments, client system 130 may include a web browser132, such as MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER, GOOGLE CHROME or MOZILLAFIREFOX, and may have one or more add-ons, plug-ins, or otherextensions, such as TOOLBAR or YAHOO TOOLBAR. A user at client system130 may enter a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) or other addressdirecting the web browser 132 to a particular server (such as server162, or a server associated with a third-party system 170), and the webbrowser 132 may generate a Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requestand communicate the HTTP request to server. The server may accept theHTTP request and communicate to client system 130 one or more Hyper TextMarkup Language (HTML) files responsive to the HTTP request. Clientsystem 130 may render a webpage based on the HTML files from the serverfor presentation to the user. This disclosure contemplates any suitablewebpage files. As an example and not by way of limitation, webpages mayrender from HTML files, Extensible Hyper Text Markup Language (XHTML)files, or Extensible Markup Language (XML) files, according toparticular needs. Such pages may also execute scripts such as, forexample and without limitation, those written in JAVASCRIPT, JAVA,MICROSOFT SILVERLIGHT, combinations of markup language and scripts suchas AJAX (Asynchronous JAVASCRIPT and XML), and the like. Herein,reference to a webpage encompasses one or more corresponding webpagefiles (which a browser may use to render the webpage) and vice versa,where appropriate.

In particular embodiments, social-networking system 160 may be anetwork-addressable computing system that can host an online socialnetwork. Social-networking system 160 may generate, store, receive, andsend social-networking data, such as, for example, user-profile data,concept-profile data, social-graph information, or other suitable datarelated to the online social network. Social-networking system 160 maybe accessed by the other components of network environment 100 eitherdirectly or via network 110. In particular embodiments,social-networking system 160 may include one or more servers 162. Eachserver 162 may be a unitary server or a distributed server spanningmultiple computers or multiple datacenters. Servers 162 may be ofvarious types, such as, for example and without limitation, web server,news server, mail server, message server, advertising server, fileserver, application server, exchange server, database server, proxyserver, another server suitable for performing functions or processesdescribed herein, or any combination thereof. In particular embodiments,each server 162 may include hardware, software, or embedded logiccomponents or a combination of two or more such components for carryingout the appropriate functionalities implemented or supported by server162. In particular embodiments, social-networking system 164 may includeone or more data stores 164. Data stores 164 may be used to storevarious types of information. In particular embodiments, the informationstored in data stores 164 may be organized according to specific datastructures. In particular embodiments, each data store 164 may be arelational, columnar, correlation, or other suitable database. Althoughthis disclosure describes or illustrates particular types of databases,this disclosure contemplates any suitable types of databases. Particularembodiments may provide interfaces that enable a client system 130, asocial-networking system 160, or a third-party system 170 to manage,retrieve, modify, add, or delete, the information stored in data store164.

In particular embodiments, social-networking system 160 may store one ormore social graphs in one or more data stores 164. In particularembodiments, a social graph may include multiple nodes—which may includemultiple user nodes (each corresponding to a particular user) ormultiple concept nodes (each corresponding to a particular concept)—andmultiple edges connecting the nodes. Social-networking system 160 mayprovide users of the online social network the ability to communicateand interact with other users. In particular embodiments, users may jointhe online social network via social-networking system 160 and then addconnections (e.g., relationships) to a number of other users ofsocial-networking system 160 whom they want to be connected to. Herein,the term “friend” may refer to any other user of social-networkingsystem 160 with whom a user has formed a connection, association, orrelationship via social-networking system 160.

In particular embodiments, social-networking system 160 may provideusers with the ability to take actions on various types of items orobjects, supported by social-networking system 160. As an example andnot by way of limitation, the items and objects may include groups orsocial networks to which users of social-networking system 160 maybelong, events or calendar entries in which a user might be interested,computer-based applications that a user may use, transactions that allowusers to buy or sell items via the service, interactions withadvertisements that a user may perform, or other suitable items orobjects. A user may interact with anything that is capable of beingrepresented in social-networking system 160 or by an external system ofthird-party system 170, which is separate from social-networking system160 and coupled to social-networking system 160 via a network 110.

In particular embodiments, social-networking system 160 may be capableof linking a variety of entities. As an example and not by way oflimitation, social-networking system 160 may enable users to interactwith each other as well as receive content from third-party systems 170or other entities, or to allow users to interact with these entitiesthrough an application programming interfaces (API) or othercommunication channels.

In particular embodiments, a third-party system 170 may include one ormore types of servers, one or more data stores, one or more interfaces,including but not limited to APIs, one or more web services, one or morecontent sources, one or more networks, or any other suitable components,e.g., that servers may communicate with. A third-party system 170 may beoperated by a different entity from an entity operatingsocial-networking system 160. In particular embodiments, however,social-networking system 160 and third-party systems 170 may operate inconjunction with each other to provide social-networking services tousers of social-networking system 160 or third-party systems 170. Inthis sense, social-networking system 160 may provide a platform, orbackbone, which other systems, such as third-party systems 170, may useto provide social-networking services and functionality to users acrossthe Internet.

In particular embodiments, a third-party system 170 may include athird-party content object provider. A third-party content objectprovider may include one or more sources of content objects, which maybe communicated to a client system 130. As an example and not by way oflimitation, content objects may include information regarding things oractivities of interest to the user, such as, for example, movie showtimes, movie reviews, restaurant reviews, restaurant menus, productinformation and reviews, or other suitable information. As anotherexample and not by way of limitation, content objects may includeincentive content objects, such as coupons, discount tickets, giftcertificates, or other suitable incentive objects.

In particular embodiments, social-networking system 160 also includesuser-generated content objects, which may enhance a user's interactionswith social-networking system 160. User-generated content may includeanything a user can add, upload, send, or “post” to social-networkingsystem 160. As an example and not by way of limitation, a usercommunicates posts to social-networking system 160 from a client system130. Posts may include data such as status updates or other textualdata, location information, photos, videos, links, music or othersimilar data or media. Content may also be added to social-networkingsystem 160 by a third-party through a “communication channel,” such as anewsfeed or stream.

In particular embodiments, social-networking system 160 may include avariety of servers, sub-systems, programs, modules, logs, and datastores. In particular embodiments, social-networking system 160 mayinclude one or more of the following: a web server, action logger,API-request server, relevance-and-ranking engine, content-objectclassifier, notification controller, action log,third-party-content-object-exposure log, inference module,authorization/privacy server, search module, advertisement-targetingmodule, user-interface module, user-profile store, connection store,third-party content store, or location store. Social-networking system160 may also include suitable components such as network interfaces,security mechanisms, load balancers, failover servers,management-and-network-operations consoles, other suitable components,or any suitable combination thereof. In particular embodiments,social-networking system 160 may include one or more user-profile storesfor storing user profiles. A user profile may include, for example,biographic information, demographic information, behavioral information,social information, or other types of descriptive information, such aswork experience, educational history, hobbies or preferences, interests,affinities, or location. Interest information may include interestsrelated to one or more categories. Categories may be general orspecific. As an example and not by way of limitation, if a user “likes”an article about a brand of shoes the category may be the brand, or thegeneral category of “shoes” or “clothing.” A connection store may beused for storing connection information about users. The connectioninformation may indicate users who have similar or common workexperience, group memberships, hobbies, educational history, or are inany way related or share common attributes. The connection informationmay also include user-defined connections between different users andcontent (both internal and external). A web server may be used forlinking social-networking system 160 to one or more client systems 130or one or more third-party system 170 via network 110. The web servermay include a mail server or other messaging functionality for receivingand routing messages between social-networking system 160 and one ormore client systems 130. An API-request server may allow a third-partysystem 170 to access information from social-networking system 160 bycalling one or more APIs. An action logger may be used to receivecommunications from a web server about a user's actions on or offsocial-networking system 160. In conjunction with the action log, athird-party-content-object log may be maintained of user exposures tothird-party-content objects. A notification controller may provideinformation regarding content objects to a client system 130.Information may be pushed to a client system 130 as notifications, orinformation may be pulled from client system 130 responsive to a requestreceived from client system 130. Authorization servers may be used toenforce one or more privacy settings of the users of social-networkingsystem 160. A privacy setting of a user determines how particularinformation associated with a user can be shared. The authorizationserver may allow users to opt in to or opt out of having their actionslogged by social-networking system 160 or shared with other systems(e.g., third-party system 170), such as, for example, by settingappropriate privacy settings. Third-party-content-object stores may beused to store content objects received from third parties, such as athird-party system 170. Location stores may be used for storing locationinformation received from client systems 130 associated with users.Advertisement-pricing modules may combine social information, thecurrent time, location information, or other suitable information toprovide relevant advertisements, in the form of notifications, to auser.

FIG. 2 illustrates example social graph 200. In particular embodiments,social-networking system 160 may store one or more social graphs 200 inone or more data stores. In particular embodiments, social graph 200 mayinclude multiple nodes—which may include multiple user nodes 202 ormultiple concept nodes 204—and multiple edges 206 connecting the nodes.Example social graph 200 illustrated in FIG. 2 is shown, for didacticpurposes, in a two-dimensional visual map representation. In particularembodiments, a social-networking system 160, client system 130, orthird-party system 170 may access social graph 200 and relatedsocial-graph information for suitable applications. The nodes and edgesof social graph 200 may be stored as data objects, for example, in adata store (such as a social-graph database). Such a data store mayinclude one or more searchable or queryable indexes of nodes or edges ofsocial graph 200.

In particular embodiments, a user node 202 may correspond to a user ofsocial-networking system 160. As an example and not by way oflimitation, a user may be an individual (human user), an entity (e.g.,an enterprise, business, or third-party application), or a group (e.g.,of individuals or entities) that interacts or communicates with or oversocial-networking system 160. In particular embodiments, when a userregisters for an account with social-networking system 160,social-networking system 160 may create a user node 202 corresponding tothe user, and store the user node 202 in one or more data stores. Usersand user nodes 202 described herein may, where appropriate, refer toregistered users and user nodes 202 associated with registered users. Inaddition or as an alternative, users and user nodes 202 described hereinmay, where appropriate, refer to users that have not registered withsocial-networking system 160. In particular embodiments, a user node 202may be associated with information provided by a user or informationgathered by various systems, including social-networking system 160. Asan example and not by way of limitation, a user may provide his or hername, profile picture, contact information, birth date, sex, maritalstatus, family status, employment, education background, preferences,interests, or other demographic information. In particular embodiments,a user node 202 may be associated with one or more data objectscorresponding to information associated with a user. In particularembodiments, a user node 202 may correspond to one or more webpages.

In particular embodiments, a concept node 204 may correspond to aconcept. As an example and not by way of limitation, a concept maycorrespond to a place (such as, for example, a movie theater,restaurant, landmark, or city); a website (such as, for example, awebsite associated with social-network system 160 or a third-partywebsite associated with a web-application server); an entity (such as,for example, a person, business, group, sports team, or celebrity); aresource (such as, for example, an audio file, video file, digitalphoto, text file, structured document, or application) which may belocated within social-networking system 160 or on an external server,such as a web-application server; real or intellectual property (suchas, for example, a sculpture, painting, movie, game, song, idea,photograph, or written work); a game; an activity; an idea or theory;another suitable concept; or two or more such concepts. A concept node204 may be associated with information of a concept provided by a useror information gathered by various systems, including social-networkingsystem 160. As an example and not by way of limitation, information of aconcept may include a name or a title; one or more images (e.g., animage of the cover page of a book); a location (e.g., an address or ageographical location); a website (which may be associated with a URL);contact information (e.g., a phone number or an email address); othersuitable concept information; or any suitable combination of suchinformation. In particular embodiments, a concept node 204 may beassociated with one or more data objects corresponding to informationassociated with concept node 204. In particular embodiments, a conceptnode 204 may correspond to one or more webpages.

In particular embodiments, a node in social graph 200 may represent orbe represented by a webpage (which may be referred to as a “profilepage”). Profile pages may be hosted by or accessible tosocial-networking system 160. Profile pages may also be hosted onthird-party websites associated with a third-party server 170. As anexample and not by way of limitation, a profile page corresponding to aparticular external webpage may be the particular external webpage andthe profile page may correspond to a particular concept node 204.Profile pages may be viewable by all or a selected subset of otherusers. As an example and not by way of limitation, a user node 202 mayhave a corresponding user-profile page in which the corresponding usermay add content, make declarations, or otherwise express himself orherself. As another example and not by way of limitation, a concept node204 may have a corresponding concept-profile page in which one or moreusers may add content, make declarations, or express themselves,particularly in relation to the concept corresponding to concept node204.

In particular embodiments, a concept node 204 may represent athird-party webpage or resource hosted by a third-party system 170. Thethird-party webpage or resource may include, among other elements,content, a selectable or other icon, or other inter-actable object(which may be implemented, for example, in JavaScript, AJAX, or PHPcodes) representing an action or activity. As an example and not by wayof limitation, a third-party webpage may include a selectable icon suchas “like,” “check in,” “eat,” “recommend,” or another suitable action oractivity. A user viewing the third-party webpage may perform an actionby selecting one of the icons (e.g., “eat”), causing a client system 130to send to social-networking system 160 a message indicating the user'saction. In response to the message, social-networking system 160 maycreate an edge (e.g., an “eat” edge) between a user node 202corresponding to the user and a concept node 204 corresponding to thethird-party webpage or resource and store edge 206 in one or more datastores.

In particular embodiments, a pair of nodes in social graph 200 may beconnected to each other by one or more edges 206. An edge 206 connectinga pair of nodes may represent a relationship between the pair of nodes.In particular embodiments, an edge 206 may include or represent one ormore data objects or attributes corresponding to the relationshipbetween a pair of nodes. As an example and not by way of limitation, afirst user may indicate that a second user is a “friend” of the firstuser. In response to this indication, social-networking system 160 maysend a “friend request” to the second user. If the second user confirmsthe “friend request,” social-networking system 160 may create an edge206 connecting the first user's user node 202 to the second user's usernode 202 in social graph 200 and store edge 206 as social-graphinformation in one or more of data stores 164. In the example of FIG. 2,social graph 200 includes an edge 206 indicating a friend relationbetween user nodes 202 of user “A” and user “B” and an edge indicating afriend relation between user nodes 202 of user “C” and user “B.”Although this disclosure describes or illustrates particular edges 206with particular attributes connecting particular user nodes 202, thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable edges 206 with any suitableattributes connecting user nodes 202. As an example and not by way oflimitation, an edge 206 may represent a friendship, family relationship,business or employment relationship, fan relationship, followerrelationship, visitor relationship, subscriber relationship,superior/subordinate relationship, reciprocal relationship,non-reciprocal relationship, another suitable type of relationship, ortwo or more such relationships. Moreover, although this disclosuregenerally describes nodes as being connected, this disclosure alsodescribes users or concepts as being connected. Herein, references tousers or concepts being connected may, where appropriate, refer to thenodes corresponding to those users or concepts being connected in socialgraph 200 by one or more edges 206.

In particular embodiments, an edge 206 between a user node 202 and aconcept node 204 may represent a particular action or activity performedby a user associated with user node 202 toward a concept associated witha concept node 204. As an example and not by way of limitation, asillustrated in FIG. 2, a user may “like,” “attended,” “played,”“listened,” “cooked,” “worked at,” or “watched” a concept, each of whichmay correspond to a edge type or subtype. A concept-profile pagecorresponding to a concept node 204 may include, for example, aselectable “check in” icon (such as, for example, a clickable “check in”icon) or a selectable “add to favorites” icon. Similarly, after a userclicks these icons, social-networking system 160 may create a “favorite”edge or a “check in” edge in response to a user's action correspondingto a respective action. As another example and not by way of limitation,a user (user “C”) may listen to a particular song (“Ramble On”) using aparticular application (SPOTIFY, which is an online music application).In this case, social-networking system 160 may create a “listened” edge206 and a “used” edge (as illustrated in FIG. 2) between user nodes 202corresponding to the user and concept nodes 204 corresponding to thesong and application to indicate that the user listened to the song andused the application. Moreover, social-networking system 160 may createa “played” edge 206 (as illustrated in FIG. 2) between concept nodes 204corresponding to the song and the application to indicate that theparticular song was played by the particular application. In this case,“played” edge 206 corresponds to an action performed by an externalapplication (SPOTIFY) on an external audio file (the song “Imagine”).Although this disclosure describes particular edges 206 with particularattributes connecting user nodes 202 and concept nodes 204, thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable edges 206 with any suitableattributes connecting user nodes 202 and concept nodes 204. Moreover,although this disclosure describes edges between a user node 202 and aconcept node 204 representing a single relationship, this disclosurecontemplates edges between a user node 202 and a concept node 204representing one or more relationships. As an example and not by way oflimitation, an edge 206 may represent both that a user likes and hasused at a particular concept. Alternatively, another edge 206 mayrepresent each type of relationship (or multiples of a singlerelationship) between a user node 202 and a concept node 204 (asillustrated in FIG. 2 between user node 202 for user “E” and conceptnode 204 for “SPOTIFY”).

In particular embodiments, social-networking system 160 may create anedge 206 between a user node 202 and a concept node 204 in social graph200. As an example and not by way of limitation, a user viewing aconcept-profile page (such as, for example, by using a web browser or aspecial-purpose application hosted by the user's client system 130) mayindicate that he or she likes the concept represented by the conceptnode 204 by clicking or selecting a “Like” icon, which may cause theuser's client system 130 to send to social-networking system 160 amessage indicating the user's liking of the concept associated with theconcept-profile page. In response to the message, social-networkingsystem 160 may create an edge 206 between user node 202 associated withthe user and concept node 204, as illustrated by “like” edge 206 betweenthe user and concept node 204. In particular embodiments,social-networking system 160 may store an edge 206 in one or more datastores. In particular embodiments, an edge 206 may be automaticallyformed by social-networking system 160 in response to a particular useraction. As an example and not by way of limitation, if a first useruploads a picture, watches a movie, or listens to a song, an edge 206may be formed between user node 202 corresponding to the first user andconcept nodes 204 corresponding to those concepts. Although thisdisclosure describes forming particular edges 206 in particular manners,this disclosure contemplates forming any suitable edges 206 in anysuitable manner.

In particular embodiments, an advertisement may be text (which may beHTML-linked), one or more images (which may be HTML-linked), one or morevideos, audio, one or more ADOBE FLASH files, a suitable combination ofthese, or any other suitable advertisement in any suitable digitalformat presented on one or more web pages, in one or more e-mails, or inconnection with search results requested by a user. In addition or as analternative, an advertisement may be one or more sponsored stories(e.g., a news-feed or ticker item on social-networking system 160). Asponsored story may be a social action by a user (such as “liking” apage, “liking” or commenting on a post on a page, RSVPing to an eventassociated with a page, voting on a question posted on a page, checkingin to a place, using an application or playing a game, or “liking” orsharing a website) that an advertiser promotes, for example, by havingthe social action presented within a pre-determined area of a profilepage of a user or other page, presented with additional informationassociated with the advertiser, bumped up or otherwise highlightedwithin news feeds or tickers of other users, or otherwise promoted. Theadvertiser may pay to have the social action promoted. The social actionmay be promoted within or on social-networking system 160. In additionor as an alternative, the social action may be promoted outside or offof social-networking system 160, where appropriate. In particularembodiments, a page may be an on-line presence (such as a webpage orwebsite within or outside of social-networking system 160) of abusiness, organization, or brand facilitating its sharing of stories andconnecting with people. A page may be customized, for example, by addingapplications, posting stories, or hosting events.

A sponsored story may be generated from stories in users' news feeds andpromoted to specific areas within displays of users' web browsers whenviewing a web page associated with social-networking system 160.Sponsored stories are more likely to be viewed by users, at least inpart because sponsored stories generally involve interactions orsuggestions by the users' friends, fan pages, or other connections. Inconnection with sponsored stories, particular embodiments may utilizeone or more systems, components, elements, functions, methods,operations, or steps disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/327,557, entitled “Sponsored Stories Unit Creation from OrganicActivity Stream” and filed 15 Dec. 2011, U.S. Patent ApplicationPublication No. us 2012/0203831, entitled “Sponsored Stories UnitCreation from Organic Activity Stream” and filed 3 Feb. 2012 as U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/020,745, or U.S. Patent ApplicationPublication No. us 2012/0233009, entitled “Endorsement Subscriptions forSponsored Stories” and filed 9 Mar. 2011 as U.S. patent application Ser.No. 13/044,506, which are all incorporated herein by reference as anexample and not by way of limitation. In particular embodiments,sponsored stories may utilize computer-vision algorithms to detectproducts in uploaded images or photos lacking an explicit connection toan advertiser as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/212,356, entitled “Computer-Vision Content Detection for SponsoredStories” and filed 18 Aug. 2011, which is incorporated herein byreference as an example and not by way of limitation.

As described above, an advertisement may be text (which may beHTML-linked), one or more images (which may be HTML-linked), one or morevideos, audio, one or more ADOBE FLASH files, a suitable combination ofthese, or any other suitable advertisement in any suitable digitalformat. In particular embodiments, an advertisement may be requested fordisplay within third-party webpages, social-networking-system webpages,or other pages. An advertisement may be displayed in a dedicated portionof a page, such as in a banner area at the top of the page, in a columnat the side of the page, in a GUI of the page, in a pop-up window, overthe top of content of the page, or elsewhere with respect to the page.In addition or as an alternative, an advertisement may be displayedwithin an application or within a game. An advertisement may bedisplayed within dedicated pages, requiring the user to interact with orwatch the advertisement before the user may access a page, utilize anapplication, or play a game. The user may, for example view theadvertisement through a web browser.

A user may interact with an advertisement in any suitable manner. Theuser may click or otherwise select the advertisement, and theadvertisement may direct the user (or a browser or other applicationbeing used by the user) to a page associated with the advertisement. Atthe page associated with the advertisement, the user may take additionalactions, such as purchasing a product or service associated with theadvertisement, receiving information associated with the advertisement,or subscribing to a newsletter associated with the advertisement. Anadvertisement with audio or video may be played by selecting a componentof the advertisement (like a “play button”). In particular embodiments,an advertisement may include one or more games, which a user or otherapplication may play in connection with the advertisement. Anadvertisement may include functionality for responding to a poll orquestion in the advertisement.

An advertisement may include social-networking-system functionality thata user may interact with. For example, an advertisement may enable auser to “like” or otherwise endorse the advertisement by selecting anicon or link associated with endorsement. Similarly, a user may sharethe advertisement with another user (e.g., through social-networkingsystem 160) or RSVP (e.g., through social-networking system 160) to anevent associated with the advertisement. In addition or as analternative, an advertisement may include social-networking-systemcontext directed to the user. For example, an advertisement may displayinformation about a friend of the user within social-networking system160 who has taken an action associated with the subject matter of theadvertisement.

Social-networking-system functionality or context may be associated withan advertisement in any suitable manner. For example, an advertisingsystem (which may include hardware, software, or both for receiving bidsfor advertisements and selecting advertisements in response) mayretrieve social-networking functionality or context fromsocial-networking system 160 and incorporate the retrievedsocial-networking functionality or context into the advertisement beforeserving the advertisement to a user. Examples of selecting and providingsocial-networking-system functionality or context with an advertisementare disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2012/0084160, entitled “Providing Social Endorsements with OnlineAdvertising” and filed 5 Oct. 2010 as U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/898,662, and in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2012/0232998, entitled “Selecting Social Endorsement Information for anAdvertisement for Display to a Viewing User” and filed 8 Mar. 2011 asU.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/043,424, which are both incorporatedherein by reference as examples only and not by way of limitation.Interacting with an advertisement that is associated withsocial-networking-system functionality or context may cause informationabout the interaction to be displayed in a profile page of the user insocial-networking-system 160.

Particular embodiments may facilitate the delivery of advertisements tousers that are more likely to find the advertisements more relevant oruseful. For example, an advertiser may realize higher conversion rates(and therefore higher return on investment (ROI) from advertising) byidentifying and targeting users that are more likely to find itsadvertisements more relevant or useful. The advertiser may useuser-profile information in social-networking system 160 to identifythose users. In addition or as an alternative, social-networking system160 may use user-profile information in social-networking system 160 toidentify those users for the advertiser. As examples and not by way oflimitation, particular embodiments may target users with the following:invitations or suggestions of events; suggestions regarding coupons,deals, or wish-list items; suggestions regarding friends' life events;suggestions regarding groups; advertisements; or social advertisements.Such targeting may occur, where appropriate, on or withinsocial-networking system 160, off or outside of social-networking system160, or on mobile computing devices of users. When on or withinsocial-networking system 160, such targeting may be directed to users'news feeds, search results, e-mail or other in-boxes, or notificationschannels or may appear in particular area of web pages ofsocial-networking system 160, such as a right-hand side of a web page ina concierge or grouper area (which may group along a right-hand railadvertisements associated with the same concept, node, or object) or anetwork-ego area (which may be based on what a user is viewing on theweb page and a current news feed of the user). When off or outside ofsocial-networking system 160, such targeting may be provided through athird-party website, e.g., involving an ad exchange or a social plug-in.When on a mobile computing device of a user, such targeting may beprovided through push notifications to the mobile computing device.

Targeting criteria used to identify and target users may includeexplicit, stated user interests on social-networking system 160 orexplicit connections of a user to a node, object, entity, brand, or pageon social-networking system 160. In addition or as an alternative, suchtargeting criteria may include implicit or inferred user interests orconnections (which may include analyzing a user's history, demographic,social or other activities, friends' social or other activities,subscriptions, or any of the preceding of other users similar to theuser (based, e.g., on shared interests, connections, or events)).Particular embodiments may utilize platform targeting, which may involveplatform and “like” impression data; contextual signals (e.g., “Who isviewing now or has viewed recently the page for COCA-COLA?”);light-weight connections (e.g., “check-ins”); connection lookalikes;fans; extracted keywords; EMU advertising; inferential advertising;coefficients, affinities, or other social-graph information;friends-of-friends connections; pinning or boosting; deals; polls;household income, social clusters or groups; products detected in imagesor other media; social- or open-graph edge types; geo-prediction; viewsof profile or pages; status updates or other user posts (analysis ofwhich may involve natural-language processing or keyword extraction);events information; or collaborative filtering. Identifying andtargeting users may also include privacy settings (such as useropt-outs), data hashing, or data anonymization, as appropriate.

To target users with advertisements, particular embodiments may utilizeone or more systems, components, elements, functions, methods,operations, or steps disclosed in the following, which are allincorporated herein by reference as examples and not by way oflimitation: U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2009/0119167,entitled “Social Advertisements and Other Informational Messages on aSocial Networking Website and Advertising Model for Same” and filed 18Aug. 2008 as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/193,702; U.S. PatentApplication Publication No. US 2009/0070219, entitled “TargetingAdvertisements in a Social Network” and filed 20 Aug. 2008 as U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/195,321; U.S. Patent ApplicationPublication No. US 2012/0158501, entitled “Targeting Social Advertisingto Friends of Users Who Have Interacted With an Object Associated withthe Advertising” and filed 15 Dec. 2010 as U.S. patent application Ser.No. 12/968,786; or U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2012/0166532, entitled “Contextually Relevant Affinity Prediction in aSocial-Networking System” and filed 23 Dec. 2010 as U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/978,265.

An advertisement may be presented or otherwise delivered using plug-insfor web browsers or other applications, iframe elements, news feeds,tickers, notifications (which may include, for example, e-mail, ShortMessage Service (SMS) messages, or notifications), or other means. Anadvertisement may be presented or otherwise delivered to a user on amobile or other computing device of the user. In connection withdelivering advertisements, particular embodiments may utilize one ormore systems, components, elements, functions, methods, operations, orsteps disclosed in the following, which are all incorporated herein byreference as examples and not by way of limitation: U.S. PatentApplication Publication No. US 2012/0159635, entitled “Comment Plug-Infor Third-Party System” and filed 15 Dec. 2010 as U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/969,368; U.S. Patent Application Publication No.US 2012/0158753, entitled “Comment Ordering System” and filed 15 Dec.2010 as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/969,408; U.S. Pat. No.7,669,123, entitled “Dynamically Providing a News Feed About a User of aSocial Network” and filed 11 Aug. 2006 as U.S. patent application Ser.No. 11/503,242; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2008/0040475,entitled “Providing a News Feed Based on User Affinity in a SocialNetwork Environment” and filed 11 Aug. 2006 as U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/503,093; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2012/0072428, entitled “Action Clustering for News Feeds” and filed 16Sep. 2010 as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/884,010; U.S. PatentApplication Publication No. US 2001/0004692, entitled “GatheringInformation about Connections in a Social Networking Service” and filed1 Jul. 2009 as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/496,606; U.S. PatentApplication Publication No. US 2008/0065701, entitled “Method and Systemfor Tracking Changes to User Content in an Online Social Network” andfiled 12 Sep. 2006 as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/531,154; U.S.Patent Application Publication No. US 2008/0065604, entitled “FeedingUpdates to Landing Pages of Users of an Online Social Network fromExternal Sources” and filed 17 Jan. 2007 as U.S. patent application Ser.No. 11/624,088; U.S. Pat. No. 8,244,848, entitled “IntegratedSocial-Network Environment” and filed 19 Apr. 2010 as U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/763,171; U.S. Patent Application Publication No.US 2011/0083101, entitled “Sharing of Location-Based Content Item inSocial-Networking Service” and filed 6 Oct. 2009 as U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/574,614; U.S. Pat. No. 8,150,844, entitled“Location Ranking Using Social-Graph Information” and filed 18 Aug. 2010as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/858,718; U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/051,286, entitled “Sending Notifications to Users Based onUsers' Notification Tolerance Levels” and filed 18 Mar. 2011; U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/096,184, entitled “Managing NotificationsPushed to User Devices” and filed 28 Apr. 2011; U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/276,248, entitled “Platform-Specific Notification DeliveryChannel” and filed 18 Oct. 2011; or U.S. Patent Application PublicationNo. US 2012/0197709, entitled “Mobile Advertisement with SocialComponent for Geo-Social-networking system” and filed 1 Feb. 2011 asU.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/019,061. Although this disclosuredescribes or illustrates particular advertisements being delivered inparticular ways and in connection with particular content, thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable advertisements delivered in anysuitable ways and in connection with any suitable content.

In particular embodiments, social-networking system 160 may determinethe social-graph affinity (which may be referred to herein as“affinity”) of various social-graph entities for each other. Affinitymay represent the strength of a relationship or level of interestbetween particular objects associated with the online social network,such as users, concepts, content, actions, advertisements, other objectsassociated with the online social network, or any suitable combinationthereof. Affinity may also be determined with respect to objectsassociated with third-party systems 170 or other suitable systems. Anoverall affinity for a social-graph entity for each user, subjectmatter, or type of content may be established. The overall affinity maychange based on continued monitoring of the actions or relationshipsassociated with the social-graph entity. Although this disclosuredescribes determining particular affinities in a particular manner, thisdisclosure contemplates determining any suitable affinities in anysuitable manner.

In particular embodiments, social-networking system 160 may measure orquantify social-graph affinity using an affinity coefficient (which maybe referred to herein as “coefficient”). The coefficient may representor quantify the strength of a relationship between particular objectsassociated with the online social network. The coefficient may alsorepresent a probability or function that measures a predictedprobability that a user will perform a particular action based on theuser's interest in the action. In this way, a user's future actions maybe predicted based on the user's prior actions, where the coefficientmay be calculated at least in part a the history of the user's actions.Coefficients may be used to predict any number of actions, which may bewithin or outside of the online social network. As an example and not byway of limitation, these actions may include various types ofcommunications, such as sending messages, posting content, or commentingon content; various types of a observation actions, such as accessing orviewing profile pages, media, or other suitable content; various typesof coincidence information about two or more social-graph entities, suchas being in the same group, tagged in the same photograph, checked-in atthe same location, or attending the same event; or other suitableactions. Although this disclosure describes measuring affinity in aparticular manner, this disclosure contemplates measuring affinity inany suitable manner.

In particular embodiments, social-networking system 160 may use avariety of factors to calculate a coefficient. These factors mayinclude, for example, user actions, types of relationships betweenobjects, location information, other suitable factors, or anycombination thereof. In particular embodiments, different factors may beweighted differently when calculating the coefficient. The weights foreach factor may be static or the weights may change according to, forexample, the user, the type of relationship, the type of action, theuser's location, and so forth. Ratings for the factors may be combinedaccording to their weights to determine an overall coefficient for theuser. As an example and not by way of limitation, particular useractions may be assigned both a rating and a weight while a relationshipassociated with the particular user action is assigned a rating and acorrelating weight (e.g., so the weights total 100%). To calculate thecoefficient of a user towards a particular object, the rating assignedto the user's actions may comprise, for example, 60% of the overallcoefficient, while the relationship between the user and the object maycomprise 40% of the overall coefficient. In particular embodiments, thesocial-networking system 160 may consider a variety of variables whendetermining weights for various factors used to calculate a coefficient,such as, for example, the time since information was accessed, decayfactors, frequency of access, relationship to information orrelationship to the object about which information was accessed,relationship to social-graph entities connected to the object, short- orlong-term averages of user actions, user feedback, other suitablevariables, or any combination thereof. As an example and not by way oflimitation, a coefficient may include a decay factor that causes thestrength of the signal provided by particular actions to decay withtime, such that more recent actions are more relevant when calculatingthe coefficient. The ratings and weights may be continuously updatedbased on continued tracking of the actions upon which the coefficient isbased. Any type of process or algorithm may be employed for assigning,combining, averaging, and so forth the ratings for each factor and theweights assigned to the factors. In particular embodiments,social-networking system 160 may determine coefficients usingmachine-learning algorithms trained on historical actions and past userresponses, or data farmed from users by exposing them to various optionsand measuring responses. Although this disclosure describes calculatingcoefficients in a particular manner, this disclosure contemplatescalculating coefficients in any suitable manner.

In particular embodiments, social-networking system 160 may calculate acoefficient based on a user's actions. Social-networking system 160 maymonitor such actions on the online social network, on a third-partysystem 170, on other suitable systems, or any combination thereof. Anysuitable type of user actions may be tracked or monitored. Typical useractions include viewing profile pages, creating or posting content,interacting with content, joining groups, listing and confirmingattendance at events, checking-in at locations, liking particular pages,creating pages, and performing other tasks that facilitate socialaction. In particular embodiments, social-networking system 160 maycalculate a coefficient based on the user's actions with particulartypes of content. The content may be associated with the online socialnetwork, a third-party system 170, or another suitable system. Thecontent may include users, profile pages, posts, news stories,headlines, instant messages, chat room conversations, emails,advertisements, pictures, video, music, other suitable objects, or anycombination thereof. Social-networking system 160 may analyze a user'sactions to determine whether one or more of the actions indicate anaffinity for subject matter, content, other users, and so forth. As anexample and not by way of limitation, if a user may make frequentlyposts content related to “coffee” or variants thereof, social-networkingsystem 160 may determine the user has a high coefficient with respect tothe concept “coffee”. Particular actions or types of actions may beassigned a higher weight and/or rating than other actions, which mayaffect the overall calculated coefficient. As an example and not by wayof limitation, if a first user emails a second user, the weight or therating for the action may be higher than if the first user simply viewsthe user-profile page for the second user.

In particular embodiments, social-networking system 160 may calculate acoefficient based on the type of relationship between particularobjects. Referencing the social graph 200, social-networking system 160may analyze the number and/or type of edges 206 connecting particularuser nodes 202 and concept nodes 204 when calculating a coefficient. Asan example and not by way of limitation, user nodes 202 that areconnected by a spouse-type edge (representing that the two users aremarried) may be assigned a higher coefficient than a user nodes 202 thatare connected by a friend-type edge. In other words, depending upon theweights assigned to the actions and relationships for the particularuser, the overall affinity may be determined to be higher for contentabout the user's spouse than for content about the user's friend. Inparticular embodiments, the relationships a user has with another objectmay affect the weights and/or the ratings of the user's actions withrespect to calculating the coefficient for that object. As an exampleand not by way of limitation, if a user is tagged in first photo, butmerely likes a second photo, social-networking system 160 may determinethat the user has a higher coefficient with respect to the first photothan the second photo because having a tagged-in-type relationship withcontent may be assigned a higher weight and/or rating than having alike-type relationship with content. In particular embodiments,social-networking system 160 may calculate a coefficient for a firstuser based on the relationship one or more second users have with aparticular object. In other words, the connections and coefficientsother users have with an object may affect the first user's coefficientfor the object. As an example and not by way of limitation, if a firstuser is connected to or has a high coefficient for one or more secondusers, and those second users are connected to or have a highcoefficient for a particular object, social-networking system 160 maydetermine that the first user should also have a relatively highcoefficient for the particular object. In particular embodiments, thecoefficient may be based on the degree of separation between particularobjects. The lower coefficient may represent the decreasing likelihoodthat the first user will share an interest in content objects of theuser that is indirectly connected to the first user in the social graph200. As an example and not by way of limitation, social-graph entitiesthat are closer in the social graph 200 (i.e., fewer degrees ofseparation) may have a higher coefficient than entities that are furtherapart in the social graph 200.

In particular embodiments, social-networking system 160 may calculate acoefficient based on location information. Objects that aregeographically closer to each other may be considered to be more relatedor of more interest to each other than more distant objects. Inparticular embodiments, the coefficient of a user towards a particularobject may be based on the proximity of the object's location to acurrent location associated with the user (or the location of a clientsystem 130 of the user). A first user may be more interested in otherusers or concepts that are closer to the first user. As an example andnot by way of limitation, if a user is one mile from an airport and twomiles from a gas station, social-networking system 160 may determinethat the user has a higher coefficient for the airport than the gasstation based on the proximity of the airport to the user.

In particular embodiments, social-networking system 160 may performparticular actions with respect to a user based on coefficientinformation. Coefficients may be used to predict whether a user willperform a particular action based on the user's interest in the action.A coefficient may be used when generating or presenting any type ofobjects to a user, such as advertisements, search results, news stories,media, messages, notifications, or other suitable objects. Thecoefficient may also be utilized to rank and order such objects, asappropriate. In this way, social-networking system 160 may provideinformation that is relevant to user's interests and currentcircumstances, increasing the likelihood that they will find suchinformation of interest. In particular embodiments, social-networkingsystem 160 may generate content based on coefficient information.Content objects may be provided or selected based on coefficientsspecific to a user. As an example and not by way of limitation, thecoefficient may be used to generate media for the user, where the usermay be presented with media for which the user has a high overallcoefficient with respect to the media object. As another example and notby way of limitation, the coefficient may be used to generateadvertisements for the user, where the user may be presented withadvertisements for which the user has a high overall coefficient withrespect to the advertised object. In particular embodiments,social-networking system 160 may generate search results based oncoefficient information. Search results for a particular user may bescored or ranked based on the coefficient associated with the searchresults with respect to the querying user. As an example and not by wayof limitation, search results corresponding to objects with highercoefficients may be ranked higher on a search-results page than resultscorresponding to objects having lower coefficients.

In particular embodiments, social-networking system 160 may calculate acoefficient in response to a request for a coefficient from a particularsystem or process. To predict the likely actions a user may take (or maybe the subject of) in a given situation, any process may request acalculated coefficient for a user. The request may also include a set ofweights to use for various factors used to calculate the coefficient.This request may come from a process running on the online socialnetwork, from a third-party system 170 (e.g., via an API or othercommunication channel), or from another suitable system. In response tothe request, social-networking system 160 may calculate the coefficient(or access the coefficient information if it has previously beencalculated and stored). In particular embodiments, social-networkingsystem 160 may measure an affinity with respect to a particular process.Different processes (both internal and external to the online socialnetwork) may request a coefficient for a particular object or set ofobjects. Social-networking system 160 may provide a measure of affinitythat is relevant to the particular process that requested the measure ofaffinity. In this way, each process receives a measure of affinity thatis tailored for the different context in which the process will use themeasure of affinity.

In connection with social-graph affinity and affinity coefficients,particular embodiments may utilize one or more systems, components,elements, functions, methods, operations, or steps disclosed in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/503,093, filed 11 Aug. 2006, U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/977,027, filed 22 Dec. 2010, U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/978,265, filed 23 Dec. 2010, and U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/632,869, filed 1 Oct. 2012, each of which isincorporated by reference.

In some embodiments, an application (referenced hereafter as the “socialTV app”) may be provided to run on client system 130. In general, thesocial TV app may be an application running on a smartphone (e.g., aniPhone) or any other client system 130 that interfaces withsocial-networking system 160 and MSOs. In an embodiment, the social TVapp may display a programming guide. For example, the programming guidemay aggregate various media content (hereinafter, “media content,”“shows,” and “programs” may be used interchangeably) from multiplecontent providers into a feed. As another example, the programming guidemay display recommended media content based on social context. In someembodiments, the social TV app may not automatically update theprogramming guide so as not to confuse the user. Instead, the social TVapp may present an interactive button to the user that allows the userto cause an update of the programming guide. The social TV app maydetermine a user's subscription package in an embodiment. In someembodiments, the social TV app may present a plurality of thumbnailsrepresenting previously-watched media content that allow the user toquickly switch back-and-forth between media content. Some embodimentsmay delay publishing that the user watched a particular program. Inparticular embodiments, the social TV app may determine that mediacontent has multiple entities and provide social context for theentities. When there are multiple versions of a particular mediacontent, some embodiments may aggregate likes of the various versions toa main page representing the media content. In some embodiments, thesocial TV app gives a user control over what is displayed on a secondscreen (TV, etc.). In some embodiments, the social TV app functions as achannel-changer. In some embodiments, the social TV app may interactwith a dongle such as social TV dongle described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/602,011, which is herein incorporated byreference as an example and not by way of limitation. In someembodiments, social data from social-networking system 160 is integratedinto what is displayed in the social TV app. For example, the social TVapp may display who is currently watching a particular show, who hasliked the particular show, and the like. FIGS. 3-17 discuss variousembodiments of the social TV app.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example programming guide 310 which may bedisplayed on mobile device 130 or any other client system 130. Ingeneral, programming guide 310 provides an easy and convenient way for auser to view and select available content to display on any clientsystem 130. In some embodiments, programming guide 310 is generated bysocial-networking system 160 using social graph 200 and is apersonalized set of available media content to display to a user. Forexample, programming guide 310 may include media content that isavailable to the user along with social content related to the user andthe media content. As another example, programming guide 310 may includerecommended media content based on social context, as will be describedbelow.

Programming guide 310 may include a show feed or a recommendations feed(hereinafter, “show feed” and “recommendations feed” are usedinterchangeably), which aggregates content from multiple sources (e.g.,over-the-top (OTT) content provider such as NetFlix, Hulu, Amazon Video,and YouTube, multiple system operators (MSO) such as Comcast, TimeWarner, AT&T U-verse, and Dish Network, on-demand programming, DVRs,third-party internet sites, other cable provides, etc.) into aconvenient list of available media content in an embodiment. In someembodiments, a central aggregation point is provided that allows thesocial TV app or social-networking system 160 to pull from multiplesources. In some embodiments, a canonical representation of all shows isstored in an open graph and the representation is agnostic of thechannel of that show. The user is not required to know where the contentis being sourced from or what channel is associated with the content.Instead, the user may simply tap or otherwise select programming guideentry 320 for a particular show and be presented with show page 710 forthe particular show as illustrated in FIG. 7 and described below. In anembodiment, the user may tap interactive button 325 to be presented withshow page 710. The user may then view information about the selectedshow and may select an option on show page 710 to begin watching theshow, such as interactive watch button 750. The show will then bedisplayed on any client system 130, such as the user's smart phone or atelevision (“TV”) of the user. In some embodiments, an action edge inthe open graph tracks how the content is being watched (e.g., from Hulu,Netflix, cable, etc.).

Programming guide 310 includes programming guide entries 320 (e.g.,programming guide entries 320 a-c in this example) in certainembodiments. Programming guide entries 320 a-c may each be associatedwith a particular media content and may each display informationassociated with its corresponding media content in an embodiment. Insome embodiments, each programming guide entry 320 may be associatedwith a recommended program. Each programming guide entry 320 may includeinteractive button 325, media content image 330, social content 340(e.g., social content 340 a-c in this example), one or more userselectable options 350, and airing time 360.

Interactive button 325 may be associated with programming guide entry320 in particular embodiments. Interactive button 325 may be any buttonoperable to cause the social TV app to display a show page, such as showpage 710, in response to a user selection of interactive button 325. Forexample, a user may select interactive button 325 a to bring up a showpage associated with the program “In the City.” Although interactivebutton 325 is displayed in a particular configuration and in aparticular location of programming guide entry 320, interactive button325 may be displayed in any configuration, such as a circular button ora square button, and may be displayed in any location of programmingguide entry 320.

Media content image 330 may be any image or graphic associated with themedia content of programming guide entry 320. In some embodiments, mediacontent image 330 may be an image captured from video associated withthe media of programming guide entry 320. For example, media contentimage 330 a may be an image captured from the TV show “In the City” ofprogramming guide entry 320 a. In some embodiments, media content image330 may be a cover image provided by an entity associated with the mediacontent of programming guide entry 320. For example, if a particularmovie studio produced the movie “Take a Chance” of programming guideentry 320 c, the movie studio may provide or otherwise indicate tosocial-networking system 160 a particular image to use as a cover imagefor the movie. Social-networking system 160 may then access the coverimage and use it as media content image 330 to represent the movie inprogramming guide 310.

Social content 340 is any social content associated with the mediacontent of programming guide entry 320 that is determined bysocial-networking system 160 from social graph 200. In some embodiments,social content 340 may include an indication of how many other users ofsocial-networking system 160 have viewed, “liked,” or posted commentsabout the media content of programming guide entry 320. Consider theexample programming guide entry 320 b of FIG. 3. In this example, themedia content of programming guide entry 320 b is a TV show called “EasyStreet.” Social-networking system 160 may query social graph 200 anddetermine that twenty six of the user's friends have “liked” the TV show“Easy Street.” Social content 340 b of programming guide entry 320 b,which reads “FRIEND A and 25 other friends like this show” may then begenerated and displayed proximate to media content image 330 b for “EasyStreet.” In another example, social-networking system 160 may querysocial graph 200 and determine that over 2,200 other users have “liked”“Easy Street.” Social content 340 b, which reads “2.2 k LIKES,” may thenbe generated and displayed proximate to media content image 330 b for“Easy Street.” In some embodiments, social content 340 may also includea facepile 340 c. Facepile 340 c may include, for example, images,icons, or avatars of other users (e.g., friends) of social-networkingsystem 160 who have liked the media content of programming guide entry320, as determined using social graph 200.

User-selectable options 350 are any options that permit a user toperform one or more actions associated with programming guide entry 320.For example, user-selectable options 350 may include options that theuser may select to indicate that he “likes” the media content ofprogramming guide entry 320 or to comment about the media content ofprogramming guide entry 320. Once selected, user-selectable options 350may cause any appropriate action within social-networking system 160.For example, if a user selects user-selectable option 350 to “like” themedia content of programming guide entry 320 b (i.e., “Easy Street”), anedge 206 may be added to social graph 200 to indicate that the user“likes” “Easy Street.”

User selectable options 350 may include other options, such as recordand remind, in an embodiment. For example, “RECORD” may be included as auser selectable option 350 in programming guide entry 320 and may cause,once selected by a user, instructions to be sent to another device suchas a DVR to record the media content of programming guide entry 320. Insome embodiments, a primary action may also be established for eachprogramming guide entry 320 (e.g., watch again, watch, record, etc.)using user selectable options 350.

As another example, “REMIND” may be included as a user selectable option350 in programming guide entry 320 and may cause, once selected by auser, a notification to be sent to the user when the media content ofprogramming guide entry 320 is about to begin. A “WATCH” button may bepresented to the user to automatically start the show on the user's TVwhen the user selects the button in certain embodiments.

In some embodiments, the social TV app determines what and when tonotify the user of recommended programs. The social TV app may determinethis using recommendations, trending programs, programs promoted by anetwork the user “liked,” user “likes” of an article about the program,user “likes” of an actor in a program, etc. In some embodiments, thesocial TV app or social-networking system 160 determines where to sendthe notifications and reminders. For example, if it is determined thatthe user is currently using his smartphone, a notification may be sentto the user's smartphone. In some embodiments, when a user receives anotification that a friend is currently watching a program, a “WATCH”button appears in the user's newsfeed which, when selected, starts theprogram on the user's TV.

Airing time 360 is any indication of the times in which the mediacontent of programming guide entry 320 may be viewed. For example,airing time 360 of programming guide entry 320 a indicates that themovie “In the City” will begin at 1:00 PM and end at 3:00 PM. As anotherexample, airing time 360 of programming guide entry 320 b indicates thatthe TV show “Easy Street” will begin at 2:00 PM and end at 2:30 PM.

Programming guide 310 may include a recommendations feed in certainembodiments. In certain embodiments, the recommendations feed displaysrecommended programs based on social context for the particular user.For example, social-networking system 160 may determine recommendedprograms for the user based on “likes” of the user (e.g., an explicitsignal that the user likes the program), “likes” of the friends of theuser, total “likes” from all users of social-networking system 160,comments of the user or the user's friends, tastes of people who have“liked” the program, trending programs, programs that have similargenres to programs the user has “liked,” and programs that are promotedby a network that the user “likes.” In certain embodiments, the contentin the recommendations feed is determined according to the methodsdescribed in FIGS. 25-26 and associated text in U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/602,011, which is herein incorporated by reference as anexample and not by way of limitation.

The recommendations feed in the social TV app displays what is currentlyon (i.e., what programs are currently available to view) as well asprograms that are coming on soon (e.g., within the half hour, hour, day,week, etc.) in certain embodiments. In some embodiments, therecommendations feed includes recommendations for recorded content(e.g., on a DVR), on-demand content, and pay-per-view content, not justchannels that are available from the STB. In certain embodiments, thesocial TV app displays the number of “likes” for programs (e.g., theuser's “likes,” friends' “likes,” total “likes,” etc.), who has “liked”the program, and who is currently watching the program. In certainembodiments, media content and social content displayed in the social TVapp are actionable. For example, the number of “likes” for programs(e.g., the user's “likes,” friends' “likes,” total “likes,” etc.), whohas “liked” the program, who is currently watching the program, etc.,are each actionable (e.g., the user may click on the indication to viewmore information, chat with the displayed user, bring up another page,etc.). As another example, each media content may be clicked so that theuser may watch the media content (e.g., change the channel to watch themedia content) or get more information about the media content. Incertain embodiments, the social TV app may be a full screen app or ahybrid.

Recommendations for the show feed in the social TV app may be based onpositive and negative feedback in an embodiment. For example, a programmay receive positive feedback (and thus may appear in the user's showfeed) if the user “likes” the program, if the user watches the program,if the user indicates he wants to watch the program, if the usercomments about the program, and the like. As another example, negativefeedback may be applied to programs in some situations. For example, thefollowing situations may result in negative feedback for a program (andthus may remove the program from the user's feed or move it lower in thefeed):

-   -   where in show feed the selected program was: negative feedback        may be applied to programs that the user skipped in the list    -   if a program is a different genre (less negative weighting for        genres other than selected genre)    -   different run times (e.g., if a thirty-minute program was        selected, negatively weight a two-hour program, etc.)    -   how much time has elapsed in the current program    -   comparison of selected program to programs not selected    -   comparison to everything on screen (e.g., if the user is        flicking past programs quickly and then stops suddenly to select        a program, negatively weight programs not selected less; if        scrolling slowly or flicking fast and then stop for an extended        time, more negative weighting for programs not selected)    -   start watching a program and then switch away or off may result        in negative feedback for the program    -   if user turns off TV, negatively weight the program that was on        (but may look at other factors to determine if there was another        reason such as inbound messages, a phone call, etc.)

The social TV app may determine that a user does not have access to acertain program or channel (e.g., the user's cable subscription does notinclude the channel) and thus may lower the weighting for the channel insome embodiments. As a result, the program or channel may be lowered onthe user's show feed or removed altogether. In some embodiments, theuser can create a blacklist of shows/programs/channels/genres/etc. thatthe user does not want to see in his recommendations feed. For example,the user may indicate to the social TV app that he does not want to seeany sports channels, any Spanish channels, any pornography, or any otherparticular content or channel.

Recommendations for the show feed in the social TV app may be time-basedrecommendations (e.g., based on the MSO) in certain embodiments. In someembodiments, sponsored content may be included in the recommendationsfeed. For example, a network may pay to include certain programs inusers' show feeds.

The social TV app requests a recommended list of shows for a particularuser from a server of social-networking system 160 in particularembodiments. The server may then send a list of recommended programsalong with metadata (e.g., title, social context, etc.) in one fetch. Insome embodiments, the recommendations may be paginated (e.g., programs1-10, programs 11-20, etc.). In some embodiments, a linkage may existbetween the sets so that only one session between client system 130 andthe server is required.

The social TV app may be integrated with the user's DVR or STB, asdiscussed more fully below, in certain embodiments. For example, anindication such as “record this for me” may be presented next to aprogram in the social TV app. Once selected, the social TV app may sendinstructions to the DVR or STB to record the show. In certainembodiments, methods such as those described in reference to FIGS. 6-7and associated text in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/602,011,which is herein incorporated by reference as an example and not by wayof limitation, may be utilized to send instructions to the DVR or STB.

Programming guide 310 may not automatically update to avoid confusingthe user in an embodiment. Instead, programming guide 310 may includeupdate action button 370, which may require some user interaction toupdate programming guide 310. In an embodiment, update action button 370is operable to cause social-networking system 160 to update programmingguide 310. Update action button 370 is a visual indication that a useraction may be required to update programming guide 310 in certainembodiments. For example, programming guide 310 may display a messagethat indicates that the user may select update action button 370 toupdate programming guide 310, such as “Tap Here To Update Feed.” In someembodiments, the user action is a touch input on a mobile device orclient system 130.

Programming guide 310 may automatically update in some embodiments. Inan embodiment, programming guide 310 is automatically updated after acertain amount of time has passed since the last update. For example,programming guide 310 may automatically update after a half hour, anhour, a day, or any other time period after the last update. In anotherembodiment, programming guide 310 is silently updated if it is inactivefor a certain amount of time. For example, if a user has not interactedwith programming guide 310 within the past half hour, programming guide310 may be automatically updated. In yet other embodiments, programmingguide 310 is automatically updated a certain amount of time before eachhalf hour. As an example, programming guide 310 may be automaticallyupdated five minutes before the top or bottom of the hour. In someembodiments, programming guide 310 is updated if the user scrolls down acertain amount in programming guide 310. For example, programming guide310 may be updated if the user scrolls down ten shows.

Programming guide 310 may visually fade down while programming guide 310is being updated and visually fade up after programming guide 310 isupdated in an embodiment. After programming guide 310 visually fades up,programming guide 310 may provide the user with newly recommended mediacontent. In some embodiments, other portions of the social TV app orother apps may utilize the disclosed logic to update any temporalcontent. For example, show times for movies may be updated according tothe disclosed logic.

As an example embodiment of operation, programming guide 310 may presentthe user with programming guide entries 320 a-c. Programming guide 310may also display update action button 370 that displays to the user “TapHere to Update Feed.” To avoid user confusion, programming guide may notautomatically update itself. Instead, the user may tap update actionbutton 370, which causes the social TV app to update the entries inprogramming guide 310. When the user selects update action button 370,programming guide 310 may visually fade down while it updates andvisually fade back up with newly recommended programs after the updateis complete.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating an example method 400 for updatingtime-sensitive content. The method 400 may begin at step 410, whereavailable media content is determined from one or more content sources.In some embodiments, the media content includes TV programs and movies.In some embodiments, the available media content includes TV programsand movies that are available from a MSO, OTT, or any other provider asdescribed above. In some embodiments, the available media content is anyTV program or movie that is currently airing or will be airing in thenear future (e.g., in the next half hour, hour, day, week, etc.). Insome embodiments, the available media content is determined as describedabove in reference to FIG. 3.

In step 420, at least a portion of the available media content from step410 is provided for display in a programming guide on a display deviceof a user. In an embodiment, the programming guide includes a pluralityof entries, such as entries 320 a-c. Each of the entries may beassociated with particular available media content, such as a program,movie, or game. For example, entry 320 a is associated with the program“In the City.” As another example, entry 320 b is associated with “EasyStreet.” In some embodiments, the display device is a smart phone,tablet, TV, or any other client system 130. In this manner, the user isable to quickly determine what media content is available to watch byreviewing each of the plurality of entries that are associated with aparticular media content.

In step 430, it is determined that an update action button should bedisplayed on the display device. An update action button may bedisplayed whenever the programming guide is displayed in certainembodiments. For example, if the user opens the programming guide in thesocial TV app, the update action button may be displayed when theprogramming guide is loaded. In some embodiments, the update actionbutton is update action button 370 described above.

In step 440, the update action button is provided for display on thedisplay device when it is determined in step 430 that the update actionbutton should be displayed. In some embodiments, the update actionbutton may include a visual indication that the user may select theupdate action button to update the programming guide. For example, theupdate action button may include a message indicating that a user may“Tap Here To Update Feed.” Although a particular example configurationof an update action button is illustrated, any visual indication thatthe user may perform some input to update the programming guide issuitable. In an embodiment, update action button 370 is operable tocause the social-networking system to update the programming guide inresponse to a user selection.

In step 450, the programming guide is updated in response to a userselection of the update action button. In an embodiment, the userselection is a touch input on the display device. For example, the usermay tap the update action button. Although particular touch inputs arediscussed, any touch input on or near the update action button issuitable. In some embodiments, the programming guide fades down while itis updating and fades up with newly recommended media content after ithas updated. For example, once a user selects update action button 370,programming guide 310 may fade down and display at least one newlyrecommended show.

Method 400 may additionally include querying a social graph of thesocial-networking system for social content associated with theavailable media content and one or more users of the social-networkingsystem in certain embodiments. In some embodiments, the social graph issocial graph 200 and includes a plurality of nodes and edges connectingthe nodes, the nodes comprising user nodes that are each associated witha particular user of the social-networking system. Method 400 may alsoinclude providing at least a portion of the queried social content fromthe social graph for display along with the available media content onthe display device. In some embodiments, the social content is one ormore of an indication of a number of other users of thesocial-networking system who have viewed the available media content, anindication of a number of other users of the social-networking systemwho have “liked” the available media content, an indication of a numberof other users of the social-networking system who have shared theavailable media content, an indication of a number of comments about theavailable media content, or a facepile.

In some embodiments, method 400 may include determining, using socialcontent from social graph 200 and the available media content determinedin step 410, a plurality of social coefficients for the user. The socialcoefficients may then be used to determine recommended media content forthe user. At least a portion of the recommended media content may thenbe provided for display in the programming guide on the display device.

Particular embodiments may repeat one or more steps of the method ofFIG. 4, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes andillustrates particular steps of the method of FIG. 4 as occurring in aparticular order, this disclosure contemplates any suitable steps of themethod of FIG. 4 occurring in any suitable order. Moreover, althoughthis disclosure describes and illustrates particular components,devices, or systems carrying out particular steps of the method of FIG.4, this disclosure contemplates any suitable combination of any suitablecomponents, devices, or systems carrying out any suitable steps of themethod of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating an example method 500 fordetermining user subscriptions. Method 500 may begin at step 510, wherea list of media subscriptions offered by a content source is accessed.In an embodiment, step 510 includes accessing a list of all availablepackages from a content source. For example, the social TV app may pulla list of packages from the MSO using an application programminginterface (API). In an embodiment, a media subscription includes apackage of channels. For example, a media subscription may include abasic cable package, a basic cable plus package, or a premium cablepackage. Each media subscription may offer different channels or shows.For example, a basic cable package may not offer HBO, whereas a premiumcable package may offer HBO. In an embodiment, a content source mayinclude any media content provider. For example, a content source mayinclude an MSO, an OTT, or any other content provider.

In step 520, one or more questions are provided for display on a displaydevice of the user. In an embodiment, a setup wizard questionnaireprovides questions for display to the user to determine the user'scurrent subscription information. For example, the wizard may ask theuser “Do you get HBO?” In some embodiments, the wizard may ask follow-upquestions. For example, if the user indicates that he does not get HBO,then the wizard may prompt the user “We don't think you get thesechannels either. Do you get these?”

In step 530, one or more answers to the one or more questions arereceived. In an embodiment, one answer may indicate that the user doesnot subscribe to a particular channel. For example, the social TV appmay receive an answer indicating that the user does not get HBO. Asanother example, the social TV app may receive an answer confirming thatthe user does not get certain channels.

In step 540, a media subscription of the user is determined based on theone or more answers. For example, if the user answers that he does notget HBO, and the list of available packages from the MSO indicates thatHBO is available on all packages except for the basic cable package, thesocial TV app may determine that the user has the basic cable package.In another embodiment, the social TV app may determine a list of othermedia content that the user does not subscribe to based on an indicationthat the user does not subscribe to a particular channel. For example,if the user indicates that he does not get HBO, then the social TV appmay determine a list of other channels that the user likely does notget. In that example, the social TV app may provide an interactiveprompt for display on the display device operable/configured to confirmthat the user does not subscribe to the list of other media content. Forexample, the social TV app may provide a prompt stating “We don't thinkyou get these channels either. Do you get these?” Based on the user'sanswer, the social TV app can determine the user's media subscription.

Method 500 may additionally include determining unavailable mediacontent based on the media subscription. In an embodiment, the social TVapp may determine the programs or channels that are unavailable underthe user's subscription. For example, the social TV app may determinethat a user's basic cable package does not include channels 50 andabove. Method 500 may also include providing at least a portion of theunavailable media content for display in the programming guide on thedisplay device so that at least one of the entries in the programmingguide is associated with unavailable media content. For example, theentries associated with the unavailable media content may include avisual indication that the media content is unavailable under the user'ssubscription. In that example, the visual indication may be a black-outof the unavailable media content in the programming guide. In anotherembodiment, at least one of the entries associated with the unavailablemedia content is provided for display below at least one entryassociated with available media content in the programming guide. Inother words, the unavailable media content may be pushed lower in theprogramming guide.

Method 500 may also include providing an interactive feature associatedwith the unavailable media content for display on the display device.For example, the unavailable media content may be put behind a paywall.In that example, the paywall may present a visual indication allowingthe user to take some action to subscribe to the channel, such as “Clickhere to subscribe.” By selecting the indication, the user may bepresented with the option to purchase a subscription to the unavailablemedia content for a certain amount of time. For example, the user maypurchase the subscription for a single viewing of a program, a day, aweek, a month, or any other time period.

Particular embodiments may repeat one or more steps of the method ofFIG. 5, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes andillustrates particular steps of the method of FIG. 5 as occurring in aparticular order, this disclosure contemplates any suitable steps of themethod of FIG. 5 occurring in any suitable order. Moreover, althoughthis disclosure describes and illustrates particular components,devices, or systems carrying out particular steps of the method of FIG.5, this disclosure contemplates any suitable combination of any suitablecomponents, devices, or systems carrying out any suitable steps of themethod of FIG. 5.

FIG. 6a is a flow chart illustrating an example embodiment forconfiguring the social TV app. FIGS. 6b-6i illustrate exampleembodiments associated with the example steps of the flow chartillustrated in FIG. 6a Welcome screen 610, as illustrated in FIG. 6b ,may be presented to the user in some embodiments. Welcome screen 610 maydisplay a welcome message to the user in some embodiments. In anembodiment, the user may proceed directly to single sign-on screen 620.

At sign-on screen 620, shown in FIG. 6c , a user may enter the user'slogin information for the social TV app. In some embodiments, the socialTV app may utilize single sign on so that a user may quickly log in. Forexample, the social TV app may present the user with interactive button622, which may allow the user to enter a user input to login withoutentering any credentials if the user has previously entered logininformation. The social TV app may also present the user with secondinteractive button 624, which allows the user to access a login screenif the user is not the user whose sign-on information is stored. Someembodiments may present various other interactive buttons, such as thirdinteractive button 626, which allows for a user to sign up for asocial-media account (e.g., Facebook), or fourth interactive button 628,which allows a user to access a help center.

Once the user logs in, content provider selection screen 630 may bepresented to the user as illustrated in FIG. 6d in certain embodiments.In an embodiment, content provider selection screen 630 may providevarious interactive buttons. For example, interactive button 632 allowsthe user to enter a new zip code, which may result in the presentationof different providers. As another example, interactive buttons 634 caneach be associated with a particular content provider, such asinteractive buttons 634 that each correspond to a different provider.Content provider selection screen 630 may allow the user to choose acontent provider for the user's current location in certain embodiments.For example, the user may select a particular MSO or OTT contentprovider.

Once the user selects a content provider, location selection screen 640may be provided for display as illustrated in FIG. 6e in certainembodiments. In an embodiment, location selection screen 640 may provideinteractive buttons 642 each associated with a particular location(e.g., New York, Dallas, Palo Alto, etc.). A user may select theirlocation by touching any of the interactive buttons 642 corresponding tothe user's location in an embodiment.

Channel changer setup screen 650, which is illustrated in FIG. 6f , isdisplayed in certain embodiments. Channel changer setup screen 650allows the user to configure the social TV app to change channels on aSTB automatically in an embodiment. Channel changer setup screen 650includes popup box 652 and interactive buttons 654 and 656 in someembodiments. The social TV app may utilize a standard plug-n-playprotocol to discover all available STBs in certain embodiments. SocialTV app may present popup box 652 to the user to control discovered STBs.For example, the social TV app may display the message “We havediscovered these STBs. Would you like to use one to control?” As anotherexample, the social TV app may display the message “Would you like toconfigure the app to change your channel automatically?” In someembodiments, the social TV app may defer the decision to setup an STBfor a later time. For example, the social TV app may present the user anoption to defer setup, such as interactive button 654 that correspondsto a “Not Now” option. If the user elects to control a STB, such as byclicking on interactive button 656 that corresponds to a “Setup” option,the social TV app may present the user with the user's contentprovider's login screen 660 in an embodiment.

Content provider login screen 660, illustrated in FIG. 6g , includestext entry areas 662 in an embodiment. Text entry areas 662 may allow auser to enter login information. Once the user enters the correct logininformation, the user may be presented with a confirmation screen 670 insome embodiments.

Confirmation screen 670, illustrated in FIG. 6h , includes confirmationbutton 672 and cancel button 674 in an embodiment. Confirmation button672 allows a user to confirm that the user wishes to use the app in anembodiment. Cancel button 674 allows the user to choose not to proceedwith using the social TV app. After confirming that the user wishes touse the social TV app, the user may be presented with set top boxselection screen 680 in an embodiment.

Set top box selection screen 680, illustrated in FIG. 6i , includesinteractive button 682 in an embodiment. Interactive button 682 may beassociated with a particular set top box in a particular location. Forexample, the button may display a visual indication that the button isassociated with a set top box in the living room of the user's currentlocation. Once the user confirms which set top box that the user wantsto control, show feed 690 is provided for display on a display device ofthe user. In some embodiments, show feed 690 may be programming guide310 described above.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example embodiment of show page 710. Social TV appmay provide a page for each show, such as show page 710, in certainembodiments. In an embodiment, show page 710 is presented to the userwhen the user selects the show associated with show page 710 inprogramming guide 310. For example, the user may select interactivebutton 325 a to bring up show page 710 associated with “In the City.”Show page 710 may include social content 720, show information 730,visual indicator 740, interactive watch button 750, and thumbnails 760.

In an embodiment, social content 720 from social-networking system 160may indicate who is currently watching the program, who “likes” theprogram, their current presence, and any other information about otherusers. For example, show page 710 may display an indication that “Colinis currently watching this program.” In an embodiment, social content720 may display everyone who is currently watching the show and mayremove users from the list when they quit watching the show.

Show information 730 is displayed with show page 710 in an embodiment.Show information 730 may include episode or movie information, adescription of the program, a time when the program started, a time whenthe program ends, or how much time is remaining in the program. Forexample, show information 730 may display the episode number in a seasonof a program, such as “Episode 1” as illustrated in FIG. 7. As anotherexample, show information 730 may include details about the program ingeneral or details about the particular episode, such as “The castexplores the city and finds various surprises.”

Visual indicator 740 may be displayed with show page 710 in anembodiment. Visual indicator 740 may indicate what time a programstarted, what time the program ends, a percent completion of theprogram, or a time remaining in the program. For example, visualindicator 740 may be a progress bar that provides a visual indication ofhow much of the show remains. As another example, visual indicator 740may display that the program started at 5:30 P.M. and ends at 6:00 P.M.

Interactive watch button 750 is displayed with show page 710 in certainembodiments. Interactive watch button 750 may allow the user to switchto the program shown in show page 710 to watch the program. For example,a user may select interactive watch button 750 to switch from a programthat the user is currently watching to “In the City.” In someembodiments, the social TV app may show the next content for theparticular channel in the last few minutes of a program (e.g., the lastfive minutes). For example, the social TV app may display a show pagecorresponding to programming guide entry 325 b associated with theprogram “Easy Street” at 1:55 P.M, which is five minutes before thestart time of “Easy Street.” The user may then select an interactivewatch button on the show page for “Easy Street” to switch from theprogram the user is watching to “Easy Street.”

Plurality of thumbnails 760 a-e may be displayed with show page 710 insome embodiments. Social TV app may provide a multiview presentation ofprograms, such as thumbnails 760 a-e, that allows the user to quicklyswitch between two or more shows in some embodiments. Thumbnails 760 a-emay each be operable to change from media content that the user iscurrently watching to media content that the user previously watched(e.g., the media content corresponding to the thumbnail that the userselected). For example, if the user is currently watching the show “Inthe City,” and the user selects thumbnail 760 d, which represents theprogram “The Track,” the social TV app would switch from the program “Inthe City,” to “The Track.”

Each of thumbnails 760 a-e may be a visual indication representing mediacontent that the user previously viewed. For example, if the userpreviously watched the program “Airtime,” one of thumbnails 760 a-e maycorrespond to “Airtime.” In an embodiment, the visual indicationincludes information associated with the media content that the userpreviously viewed. Generally, the information may include a logorepresenting the program, text, a score of a game, an amount of timeremaining in a game, information about the program, or any otherinformation associated with the media content. For example, if a user isswitching back-and-forth between four football games, each football gamemay be represented by a thumbnail or card that includes information,such as the score of the game, the amount of time left in the game, etc.

Thumbnails 760 a-e may be displayed in response to a user input in someembodiments. For example, thumbnails 760 a-e may be displayed inresponse to a touch input on the display device. As another example,thumbnails 760 a-e may be displayed in response to the userdouble-tapping a “home” button on the display device. In anotherembodiment, thumbnails 760 a-e may be provided for display in a tray onthe display device. For example, thumbnails 760 a-e may be displayed ina tray at the bottom of the display device in a horizontal row. In yetanother embodiment, thumbnails 760 a-e may be provided for display in acarousel of thumbnails on the display device.

The social TV app allows the user to comment on more than one show at atime in an embodiment. In some embodiments, the social TV app retainscontext about all shows being watched and allows the user to stillcomment on a show he just switched away from. For example, if the userswitched from watching “In the City” to “The Track,” the user may stillcomment on “In the City.” In that example, the social TV app may providean entry area for display on the display device that is operable toallow the user to generate a comment on the media content previouslyviewed while the user is currently watching a different media content.

In some embodiments, the social TV app may determine if a program isover. For example, many programs, such as sporting events, may runlonger than their allotted time slot. When this occurs, certainembodiments of the social TV app may ask the user for confirmation thatthe program is over. For example, the methods described in reference toFIGS. 13-14 and the associated text of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/602,011, which is herein incorporated by reference as an example andnot by way of limitation, may be used to determine if the show is over.

FIG. 8 illustrates a second example embodiment of show page 810. Showpage 810 may include social content 720, visual indicator 740, messageindication 820, comment area 830, and keyboard 840. Social content 720and visual indicator 740 may operate as described above in FIG. 7.Generally, show page 810 provides a real-time indication of who iscurrently watching the particular show. This allows the user to interactwith others while watching the show (e.g., chatting, etc.).

Message indication 820 may be displayed with show page 810 in anembodiment.

Message indication 820 may provide an indication that the users who arecurrently watching the show are messageable in certain embodiments. Forexample, message indication 820 may display another user's profilepicture along with a text-entry box, such as comment area 830, thatallows the user to type a message that is sent to the other user. Inother embodiments, show page 810 may display who has watched the show inthe past and if they are messageable.

Comment area 830 may be displayed with show page 810 in particularembodiments. Comment area 830 may allow a user to post a comment about ashow or message another user that is currently watching the show. Forexample, a user may type a message to another user in comment area 830using keyboard 840.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example method 900 for fastswitching between programs. Method 900 begins at step 910, where aplurality of thumbnails are provided for display on a display device. Insome embodiments, the thumbnails are operable to change from mediacontent that the user is currently watching to media content that theuser previously viewed (e.g., the previously-viewed media content thatcorresponds to the particular thumbnail that the user selected). Theplurality of thumbnails may be thumbnails 760 a-e in some embodiments.In an embodiment, each of the thumbnails includes a visual indicationrepresenting media content previously viewed by a user. The visualindication includes information associated with the media content thatthe user previously viewed in certain embodiments. For example, theinformation may be a score of a game or a logo associated with aprogram.

In step 920, an indication that the user selected the particularthumbnail is received. For example, the social TV app orsocial-networking system 160 may receive an indication that the userselected thumbnail 760 b corresponding to the program “Take a Chance.”

In step 930, one or more instructions to change from media content thatthe user is currently watching to the media content that the userpreviously viewed (e.g., the previously-viewed media content associatedwith the particular thumbnail that the user selected) are provided. Forexample, the social TV app may provide an instruction to a STB to changefrom “In the City” to “Take a Chance” after the user selected thethumbnail associated with “Take a Chance.”

As an example embodiment of operation, a plurality of thumbnails may bedisplayed on a display device of the user. Each of the thumbnails maycorrespond to a program that the user previously watched and may beoperable to change to that program from a program that the user iscurrently watching. Once the user selects a particular thumbnail, thesocial TV app or social-networking system 160 may receive an indicationthat the user selected the thumbnail. The social TV app may then switchfrom the program the user is currently watching to the programcorresponding to the selected thumbnail. In this manner, the user canquickly switch between programs that the user previously watched.

Particular embodiments may repeat one or more steps of the method ofFIG. 9, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes andillustrates particular steps of the method of FIG. 9 as occurring in aparticular order, this disclosure contemplates any suitable steps of themethod of FIG. 9 occurring in any suitable order. Moreover, althoughthis disclosure describes and illustrates particular components,devices, or systems carrying out particular steps of the method of FIG.9, this disclosure contemplates any suitable combination of any suitablecomponents, devices, or systems carrying out any suitable steps of themethod of FIG. 9.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example timeline with example stories indicatingthat a user watched a program. In some embodiments, the social TV appdoes not immediately publish story 1020 indicating that a user watchedor is watching a program. In other embodiments, the social TV app maypublish when a user starts watching a program to the user's timeline1010, subject to the user's privacy settings. In an embodiment, an opengraph (OG) action may be published (per user privacy settings) when auser starts watching a show. Publishing may refer to posting to theuser's timeline 1010 or advertising to the user's friends (e.g., “Useris watching this show now. Do you want to join him?”) in an embodiment.For example, story 1020 c indicating that “User watched Airtime” may bepublished a predetermined period of time after the user begins watchingAirtime. Story 1020 may include settings 1030 and social content 1040.

Settings button 1030 may be displayed with story 1020 in an embodiment.Settings button 1030 may be an interactive button operable to changeoptions or privacy settings for publishing in certain embodiments.Settings button 1030 may be operable to remove a publication that theuser does not want displayed to other users in some embodiments. Forexample, after story 1020 c published, the user may touch interactivesettings button 1030 to change publication settings, including removingstory 1020 c.

Social content 1040 may be displayed with story 1020 in an embodiment.Social content 1040 may include interactive buttons operable to “Share”a publication or “Like” a publication. For example, a user may sharethat the user is currently watching the program “Pep” by clicking the“Share.” As another example, the user may indicate that the user likesthat Friend C is watching the program “In the City” by clicking the“Like” button associated with story 1020 a.

The social TV app does not immediately publish that the user is watchinga program as soon as the user selects the program to watch in certainembodiments. In some embodiments, the social TV app employs time-delayedpublishing. After a user switches to a program, the social TV app maylog that the user selected the program to watch and then start acount-down timer in an embodiment. Once the timer reaches zero, thesocial TV app may publish that the user is watching the program, subjectto the user's privacy settings. For example, if the user watched“Airtime” for more than a predetermined period of time, then story 1020c may be published indicating that the user watched “Airtime.” However,if the user quickly clicked away, then story 1020 c may not be publishedin certain embodiments. In some embodiments, a window of time is givenso that the user can change options or privacy settings for publishingthat they are watching (or have watched) a program. For example, story1020 c may include settings button 1030, which may be operable to allowthe user to change options or privacy settings for publishing that theuser is watching or has watched “Airtime.” In that example, if story1020 c has already published, the user may altogether remove story 1020c.

In some embodiments, the social TV app will always publish, but willpublish with “only-me” privacy unless “shared.” In other words, the onlyuser that will see the publication is the user that watched the program.However, if the user “shares” the publication, such as by touching a“Share” button, then the publication will be published so that otherusers (e.g., the user's friends) of the social TV app may see thepublication.

Social TV app may utilize logic to determine intentional versusnonintentional watches. In an embodiment, if a user starts watching aprogram and then clicks away quickly (e.g., within a predeterminedamount of time, such as ten seconds), the social TV app may infer thatthe user made a mistake. In that embodiment, the social TV app may notpublish that the user watched or is watching the program. For example,if the user was quickly changing through channels and stopped on“Airtime” for a few seconds, but then switched channels to “Pep,” thesocial TV app would determine that the user did not intend to watch“Airtime.” In that example, the social TV app would not publish story1020 c. Social TV app may utilize a mistake timeout that is smaller thanthe publish timeout in certain embodiments. For example, if the publishtimeout is thirty seconds, then the mistake timeout may be ten seconds.When the mistake timeout is smaller than the publish timeout,nonintentional watches are prevented from publishing. Althoughparticular mistake and publish timeouts were mentioned above, anysuitable timeout periods may be used.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating an example method 1100 fortime-delayed publishing. Method 1100 may begin at step 1110, where anindication that a user of a social-networking system watched at least aportion of a program is received. For example, the social TV app orsocial-networking system 160 may receive an indication that a userwatched at least a portion of the program “Airtime.”

In step 1120, a determination that the user intended to watch theprogram is made. In an embodiment, step 1120 includes starting a timerin response to receiving the indication in step 1110 and inferring thatthe user intended to watch the program when an amount of time on thetimer equals or exceeds a predetermined amount of time. For example, ifthe user watches a particular channel for more than fifteen seconds,then the social TV app may infer that the user intended to watch thatchannel. However, if the user quickly changed the channel, such aswithin three seconds, then the social TV app may infer that the user didnot intend to watch the channel. For example, if the user was quicklyflipping channels and passed “Airtime” and “In the City,” then thesocial TV app may infer that the user did not intend to watch “Airtime”or “In the City.”

In step 1130, a story is generated in response to the determination ofstep 1120. In some embodiments, a story may be a post indicating thatthe user watched or is currently watching a program. For example, thestory may be story 1020 c indicating that the “User watched Airtime.” Inanother embodiment, a story may be an advertisement of the program. Forexample, the story may be story 1020 b indicating that the “User iswatching this show now. Do you want to join him?” A story may begenerated by the social TV app or social-networking system 160 in anembodiment.

In step 1140, the story is published to the social-networking system apredetermined amount of time after receiving the indication in step1110, subject to the user's privacy settings. In an embodiment, step1140 includes logging that the user clicked on the show and starting acount-down timer. Once the count-down timer times out (e.g., reacheszero), the social TV app may publish the story. In an embodiment, thepredetermined amount of time may be thirty seconds. In otherembodiments, the predetermined amount of time may be any suitable timeperiod. However, in certain embodiments, the predetermined amount oftime for publication (e.g., the publication timeout) exceeds thepredetermined amount of time for determining that the user intended towatch the program (e.g., the mistake timeout).

Method 1100 may additionally include providing an option for display ona display device operable to allow the user to change a privacy settingafter a story is published to the social-networking system. For example,the user may be presented with a window of time that allows the user tochange options or privacy settings for publication of stories, which mayinclude altogether removing posted stories. Method 1100 may also includeremoving the published story upon receiving an indication that the userwants the story removed in an embodiment. For example, if the useralters the privacy settings, the published story may be removed.

As an example embodiment of operation, the social TV app orsocial-networking system may receive an indication that the user watchedat least a portion of a program. The social TV app may determine thatthe user intended to watch the program, such as by measuring how muchtime the user watched the program and comparing that time against apredetermined threshold amount of time. Once it is determined that theuser intended to watch the program, the social TV app orsocial-networking system may generate a story indicating that the userwatched or is watching the program. The social TV app may then publishthe story to the social-networking system a predetermined amount of timeafter receiving the indication that the user watched the program. Inthis manner, the social TV app may employ time-delayed publication insome embodiments.

Particular embodiments may repeat one or more steps of the method ofFIG. 11, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes andillustrates particular steps of the method of FIG. 11 as occurring in aparticular order, this disclosure contemplates any suitable steps of themethod of FIG. 11 occurring in any suitable order. Moreover, althoughthis disclosure describes and illustrates particular components,devices, or systems carrying out particular steps of the method of FIG.11, this disclosure contemplates any suitable combination of anysuitable components, devices, or systems carrying out any suitable stepsof the method of FIG. 11.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example embodiment of search tool 1205. Thesocial TV app may provide search tool 1205 in certain embodiments.Search tool 1205 provides the user with the ability to search availablecontent to view in some embodiments. Search tool 1205 may include searchbar 1210, keyboard 1220, search results 1230, show information 1240,social content 1250, and record button 1260 in an embodiment.

Search bar 1210 may be displayed with search tool 1205 in someembodiments. Search bar 1210 may be any text entry box suitable forentering search queries in an embodiment. A user may search foravailable media content to view by entering text into search bar 1210using keyboard 1220 in certain embodiments. For example, if the userwants to search for the program “In the City,” the user can type “In theCity” and search results 1230 may be displayed. In certain embodiments,the user may search by title, actor, sports team, or any otherinformation. Searches may be conducted on a server of social-networkingsystem 160 for content that will be on in the upcoming weeks in certainembodiments. For example, the user may search for content that will beon in the next two weeks or any other time period. In other embodiments,a search may be conducted for any program in a database, whether it ison in the next few weeks or not. In certain embodiments, a flag may beset to perform some action when the searched program pops up again. Theuser may select an option to record the show on a DVR in an embodiment.Notifications and reminders may be sent for searched content in someembodiments.

Search results 1230 may be displayed by search tool 1205 as visualindications associated with the search result in particular embodiments.In an embodiment, each visual indication may be a logo representing theprogram or text associated with the program. For example, the visualindication corresponding to search result 1230 a may be the text “In theCity,” which is the name of the program. Although search results 1230a-c are displayed in a particular configuration, any particularconfiguration of search results may be used.

Show information 1240 may be displayed in some embodiments. Showinformation 1240 may include a title of the show or other details of theshow. For example, show information 1240 may include details regardingthe particular program, such as what “In the City” is about.

Social content 1250 may be displayed in some embodiments. Social content1250 may include a number of other users that have watched the program.Social content 1250 may also display each user that has watched theprogram. For example, social content 1250 may display the users in afacepile.

Record button 1260 may be displayed in certain embodiments. Recordbutton 1260 is generally an interactive button that allows the user torecord a program, such as on a DVR in some embodiments. For example, thesocial TV app may display record button 1260 along with a particularsearch result that allows the user to select record button 1260 torecord the program associated with the particular search result, such as“In the City.”

FIG. 13 illustrates an example embodiment of filter tool 1310. Thesocial TV app may provide filter tool 1310 in some embodiments. Filtertool 1310 may provide the user with the ability to filter therecommended show feed in certain embodiments. Certain embodiments mayprovide the user with a drop-down list, a genre filter, and/or a searchbar. In an embodiment, filter tool 1310 includes genre filter grid 1320and search bar 1330.

Genre filter grid 1320 allows the user to filer the recommended showfeed according to a particular genre in an embodiment. Genre filter grid1320 may provide the user with a plurality of interactive genre buttons1340 in certain embodiments. Each of interactive genre buttons 1340 maybe operable to filter the recommended show feed according to the genrecorresponding to the selected button. For example, if the user onlywants sports programming to appear on the recommended show feed, theuser may select interactive genre button 1340 corresponding to sports.Although interactive genre buttons 1340 are shown with certain genres,any genres may be used in genre filter grid 1320.

Filter tool 1320 may include search bar 1330 in an embodiment. Searchbar 1330 may allow the user to search for media content by title, actor,sports team, or any other information as described above in reference toFIG. 13.

FIG. 14 illustrates example entity information 1420, which may bedisplayed on client device 130 or television 1410. In general, thesocial TV app may display additional information for media content withmultiple entities. For example, some programs may include multiplephysical entities. Examples of shows with multiple physical entitiesinclude sporting events (e.g., two teams), game shows (e.g., final fourcontestants on a reality show), politics (e.g., two people running foroffice), and cooking competitions (e.g., two competing chefs). Forprograms with multiple entities, the social TV app may display entityinformation 1420 for each entity.

Entity information 1420 may include a name of the entity (e.g., a teamname, a contestant name, etc.) in certain embodiments. In otherembodiments, entity information 1420 may include a profile image, aphoto or a logo associated with the entity. For example, if Team 1 isplaying Team 2 shown on television 1410, social TV app may displayentity information 1420 a as “Team 1” and entity information 1420 b as“Team 2.” Alternatively, the social TV app may display logos associatedwith Team 1 and Team 2 as entity information 1420 a and 1420 b,respectively, as another example. As yet another example, the social TVapp may provide photos of the final four contestants on a game show.

In an embodiment, the social TV app may differentiate between socialcontext, such as by displaying social content 1430 associated with eachentity. For example, the social TV app may display social content 1430 aassociated with Team 1 and social content 1430 b associated with Team 2.Social content 1430 may indicate a number of friends that are fans ofeach particular entity. For example, social content 1430 a may indicatethat forty-five friends are fans of Team 1 while social content 1430 bmay indicate that five friends are fans of Team 1. In an embodiment,entity information 1420 and social content 1430 may be displayed on therecommendations feed on client device 130. In other embodiments, entityinformation 1420 and social content 1430 may be overlaid on television1410 (e.g., over the displayed media content) or any other displaydevice.

For programs having multiple physical entities, an MSO may provide thenames of the entities in an embodiment. For example, the MSO may have adatabase indicating the names of the various entities involved in aparticular program, such as the names of teams participating in a game(e.g., Team 1 and Team 2 in FIG. 14). In some embodiments, the social TVapp may access the entity information from the MSO. For example, thesocial TV app may access MSO data that is stored in a database. Asanother example, the social TV app may access MSO data that is stored inmultiple databases (e.g., programs database, incremental updatesdatabase, list of MSO head ends (by zip) database, database that listslinkage between programs and head ends, etc.).

FIG. 15 is a flow chart illustrating an example method 1500 for linkingmultiple entities associated with media content. Method 1500 may beginat step 1510, where it is determined that media content being viewed bya user comprises a plurality of entities. Step 1510 includes, in anembodiment, determining that an MSO provided information indicating thatthe media content includes a plurality of entities. For example, thesocial TV app may access an MSO database to determine that multipleentities are involved, such as when two teams are playing a game.

In step 1520, information indicative of the plurality of entities isaccessed. The social TV app may access entity information in at leastone MSO database, which may have information indicating the names of theentities, a photo of each entity, or a logo of each entity in certainembodiments. In an embodiment, MSO databases may include a programsdatabase, incremental updates database, a list of MSO head ends (by zip)database, a database that lists linkage between programs and head ends,or any other MSO database that may include entity information. Inanother embodiment, the social TV app may itself have entityinformation, such as photos of the final four contestants of a gameshow.

In step 1530, a social graph of the social-networking system is queriedfor social content associated with each of the plurality of entities andone or more users of the social-networking system in certainembodiments. In some embodiments, the social graph is social graph 200and includes a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes, thenodes comprising user nodes that are each associated with a particularuser of the social-networking system.

In step 1540, at least a portion of the queried social content from thesocial graph is provided for display along with the informationindicative of the entities on the display device. In some embodiments,the social content includes a number of other users of thesocial-networking system who have “liked” one of the entities. In anembodiment, the entity information and the social content is providedfor display in the recommendations feed on a display device of the user.The entity information and the social content may be displayed on clientsystem 130 in an embodiment. In other embodiments, the entityinformation and the social content is overlaid on television 1410, suchas on top of the media content that the entities appear in.

As an example embodiment of operation, media content being viewed by auser is determined to have multiple entities, such as a sports game withmultiple teams. The social TV app or social-networking system may accessinformation indicative of the teams, such as by accessing an MSOdatabase. The social TV app or social-networking system may query asocial graph for social content associated with the teams, such as howmany users “like” each team. The entity information, such as the name ofthe teams or a logo of each team, may then be displayed on a displaydevice along with the social content. In this manner, a user may quicklysee what entities are involved along with related social content.

Particular embodiments may repeat one or more steps of the method ofFIG. 15, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes andillustrates particular steps of the method of FIG. 15 as occurring in aparticular order, this disclosure contemplates any suitable steps of themethod of FIG. 15 occurring in any suitable order. Moreover, althoughthis disclosure describes and illustrates particular components,devices, or systems carrying out particular steps of the method of FIG.15, this disclosure contemplates any suitable combination of anysuitable components, devices, or systems carrying out any suitable stepsof the method of FIG. 15.

FIG. 16 is an example chart illustrating the aggregation of “likes” to amain page. In some embodiments, the social TV app or social-networkingsystem 160 may aggregate user “likes” of pages associated with multipleversions of media content to a main page associated with the content. Inan embodiment, “like” 1610 may be an indication that the user likes themedia content. In some embodiments, a user may click on or touch a“like” icon of a page associated with media content on a display device.

Page 1620 may be any page associated with a particular version of mediacontent. For example, a page may include a webpage or a profile page.Some media content has multiple versions each having an associated page1620. For example, multiple versions may include an episode, a season, aseries, a movie, or any other version. As an example, as shown in FIG.16, show 1 may have multiple versions of content, such as multipleepisodes and multiple seasons. Each episode may be associated with apage, such as pages 1620 a-d. Additionally, each season may beassociated with a page, such as pages 1620 e-f. Show 1 may also havemain page 1630 that is associated with all versions of the content ofshow 1.

Main page 1630 may be the most-liked page (e.g., the page with the mostuser “likes”) associated with the content in some embodiments. Forexample, if there are ten pages associated with show 1, and one page hasfifty “likes” more than any other page, that page may be determined tobe main page 1630. In another embodiment, main page 1630 may be aWikipedia page for the media content. In that embodiment, the Wikipediapage may be set as main page 1630 when the main page cannot otherwise bedetermined, such as by analyzing how many “likes” the various pagesassociated with the media content have.

Once a user “likes” 1610 a page associated with a particular version ofshow 1, such as page 1620 a associated with episode 1, then the socialTV app or social-networking system 160 may aggregate the user's “like”1610 of page 1620 a to main page 1630. Additionally, all “likes” for anyof the pages 1620 a-f associated with any of the episodes or seasons ofshow 1 may be aggregated to main page 1630. In an embodiment,aggregating a user's “likes” of pages to a main page includes applyingthe user's “likes” to the main page. For example, if the user “likes”five pages associated with a main page, the social TV app may move thosefive “likes” to the main page. In another embodiment, aggregating auser's “likes” of pages to a main page includes applying the user'svarious “likes” of the pages to the main page and removing all of theuser's “likes” of all pages except the main page. Thus, aggregating“likes” to a main page moves the user's likes of various other pages tothe main page in some embodiments.

In general, some media content may have a character that is associatedwith multiple versions of the media content. For example, there may bemultiple programs related to “Batman” (e.g., multiple movies, TV shows,etc.). When a user “likes” any one of the shows related to “Batman,” the“like” may be aggregated to the main page (e.g., the meta-page for“Batman.”) in the same manner as above. In an embodiment, media contentmay include media content from an STB, a DVR, an OTT content provider,or an MSO. In some embodiments, media content may include pay-per-viewmedia content or on-demand media content.

All of the “likes” associated with a particular version of media contentare de-duped in some embodiments. In other words, when a user “likes”multiple versions of the same content, a single “like” is applied to themain page of the program in an embodiment. For example, if a user“likes” page 1620 a associated with episode 1 of show 1 and also “likes”page 1620 e associated with season 1 of show 1, then both of the “likes”may be aggregated into a single “like” for main page 1630 of show 1. Insome embodiments, the “likes” of pages other than the main page areremoved. For example, the “likes” associated with page 1620 a and page1620 e in the last example may be removed.

FIG. 17 is a flow chart illustrating an example method 1700 foraggregating “likes” to a main page. Method 1700 may begin at step 1710,where a social graph of a social-networking system is accessed. Socialgraph may be social graph 200 of social-networking system 160 in anembodiment. Social graph 200 may include a plurality of nodes and edgesconnecting the nodes in certain embodiments. In some embodiments, thenodes include user nodes that are each associated with a particular userof the social-networking system.

In step 1720, it is determined, from the social graph, that a user“likes” a first page associated with a particular version of mediacontent. Step 1720 may include querying social graph 200 for all of theuser's “likes.” For example, social TV app may determine that the userhas “liked” a page associated with season 1 of show 1, such as page 1620e.

In step 1730, it is determined that one or more other versions of themedia content exist. For example, social TV app may determine that thereare multiple episodes and seasons of show 1. In an embodiment, some ofthe one or more versions of media content each have their own page. Forexample, every episode and season of show 1 may be associated with apage, such as pages 1620 a-f.

In step 1740, it is determined that a main page is associated with theparticular version of media content that the user “liked” and the one ormore other versions of the media content that exist. Step 1740 mayinclude determining a number of “likes” for each page that is associatedwith the media content. For example, step 1740 may include analyzing howmany “likes” pages 1620 a-f may have. Step 1740 may additionally includeassigning a page having the most “likes” as the main page. For example,if page 1620 a has more “likes” than pages 1620 b-f, then page 1620 amay be assigned as main page 1630. In some embodiments, if a main pagecannot be determined, then the Wikipedia page for the media content maybe assigned as the main page.

In step 1750, the user's “like” of the first page is aggregated to themain page. For example, the user's “like” 1610 of page 1620 a may beaggregated to main page 1630. Additionally, any other “likes” of pages1620 a-f may be aggregated to main page 1630.

Method 1700 may further include determining that the user “likes” morethan one page associated with the media content. For example, Method1700 may determine that the user has “liked” pages 1620 a, 1620 c, and1620 d. Method 1700 may also include removing all “likes” of the userassociated with each page except the main page. In the above example,method 1700 may remove the likes of pages 1620 a, 1620 c, and 1620 d andapply a single “like” to main page 1630.

As an example embodiment of operation, a social graph may be accessed todetermine that a user “likes” a first page associated with a particularversion of media content, such as “In the City 1.” The social TV app mayalso determine that one or more other versions of the media contentexist and each version has an associated page, such as “In the City 2”and “In the City 3”, which may each have a corresponding page. Thesocial TV app may determine that a main page is associated with all ofthe versions of the content, such as a main profile page for “In theCity.” The social TV app may then aggregate the user's “like” of “In theCity 1” to the main profile page for “In the City.” In some embodiments,the social TV app may also remove the user's “likes” of “In the City 1.”

Particular embodiments may repeat one or more steps of the method ofFIG. 17, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes andillustrates particular steps of the method of FIG. 17 as occurring in aparticular order, this disclosure contemplates any suitable steps of themethod of FIG. 17 occurring in any suitable order. Moreover, althoughthis disclosure describes and illustrates particular components,devices, or systems carrying out particular steps of the method of FIG.17, this disclosure contemplates any suitable combination of anysuitable components, devices, or systems carrying out any suitable stepsof the method of FIG. 17.

In some embodiments, the social TV app may allow live voting for contentto be displayed on a TV. For example, in public spaces such as a bar orthe airport, users may use the social TV app to vote for what will beshown in the next block of time on a nearby TV. This may allow a showthat will be viewed by the most people to be shown on the TV.

In some embodiments, the social TV app provides cross-app linking fromnewsfeed units and notifications to watch a show. For example, an app ofsocial-networking system 160 or any other third-party app running onclient system 130 may be linked to the social TV app. The app may bringup the social TV app (e.g., a show page in the social TV app) and/orsend instructions to the social TV app to control a particular STB. Someembodiments may provide a button in the user's newsfeed or anotification to interact with the social TV app to begin watching a showon the user's TV. For example, a post may appear in the user's newsfeedthat “Eric just watched ‘Gladiator”’ along with a button. The user maypush the button to watch “Gladiator” on any available service, such asNetflix, Comcast, Hulu, etc. In some embodiments, if a friend watchescontent on one service (e.g., DirecTV), a button may appear in thesocial TV app for the user to watch the content on another service(e.g., Netflix). In certain embodiments, a user may invite friends towatch a show with the user (i.e., social push).

In some embodiments, it may be determined where to display a program.For example, if the user's TV is on, the social TV app may control theSTB in order to display the program on the TV. In some embodiments, if aTV is not available, the program may be shown in a viewer in a browseror any other available display device.

In certain embodiments, the social TV app determines whether there aremultiple owners of a STB. For example, a wife and a husband may both beowners of the STB. In some embodiments, the social TV app permitscertain users to have admin permissions for an STB. In some embodiments,the social TV app distinguishes between owners and users. In certainembodiments, all owners are users and have admin rights and the abilityto add other users and admins for an STB. In some embodiments, users arepermitted to change the channel but nothing else.

In some embodiments, the recommendations for the show feed may change ifmultiple owners are present. In some embodiments, the recommendationsfor the show feed may be shared recommendations between all presentusers. In certain embodiments, the content in the recommendations feedis determined according to the methods described in reference to FIGS.25 and 26 and in the associated text of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/602,011, which is herein incorporated by reference as an example andnot by way of limitation. In some embodiments, the social TV app mayinfer that certain friends are present from messages, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi,and the like. In certain embodiments, the social TV app may determinewho is present using the methods described in reference to FIGS. 15-16and associated text in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/602,011,which is herein incorporated by reference as an example and not by wayof limitation.

In some embodiments, the social TV app may take action to prevent auser's recommendations from becoming polluted. For example, if a device,such as an iPad, is a shared device, the social TV app may prevent therecommendations for a user of the iPad from polluting therecommendations of another user of the iPad. In another example, thesocial TV app may prevent recommendations for a user's child frompolluting the recommendations for the parent (e.g., if the parent turnson a kid's show for his child, the social TV app may detect this andprevent the kid's shows from polluting the recommendations for theparent). In some embodiments, the social TV app may utilize a camera asa signal to prevent recommendations from becoming polluted.

In some embodiments, the social TV app may auto-detect which STB tocontrol using location information. For example, if a user has multipleSTBs in his house, the social TV app may utilize Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPSsniffing/correlation, or any other appropriate method to determine thecurrent location of the user in relation to the STBs in the house. Insome embodiments, the social TV app may select the nearest STB to theuser to control. In some embodiments, the social TV app may prompt theuser to go to a room with an STB in order to learn where the STBs arelocated. In some embodiments, if the location of the user changes, thesocial TV app may auto switch to the nearest STB. In some embodiments,the social TV app may learn which STB the user wants to control based onprevious actions of the user (e.g., when the user is at a certainlocation, he wants to control a particular STB; when it is a certaintime of day, the user wants to control a particular STB, etc.). In someembodiments, determining which STB to control and determining the user'slocation is subject to user privacy settings.

In some embodiments, the social TV app provides peer-to-peerconnectivity for controlling STBs. For example, certain embodiments ofthe social TV app provide rules for permissions (e.g. a rule could be iffriends and friends of friends are local, they are automatically allowedto also control the STB). In some embodiments, STB connectivityinformation may be passed from one user to another.

In some embodiments, the social TV app may run in the background onclient system 130. In some embodiments, when an STB is detected, anicon/subview for the social TV app may appear in a lock-screen of clientsystem 130. For example, an icon may appear in the lock screen of aniPhone that allows the user to launch the social TV app and change thechannel on his TV without unlocking his iPhone.

In some embodiments, explicit reminders about a show may be sent to auser. For example, a reminder may be sent to the user when a particularshow is about to start. In some embodiments, a button may be presentedto the user to automatically start the show on the user's TV. In someembodiments, a reminder is sent to the user when a show begins. In someembodiments, the reminders and notifications may be presented in theuser's newsfeed (e.g., in the newsfeed presented in a browser on clientsystem 130, in a newsfeed presented in an app running on client system1301, in a newsfeed on the user's desktop, etc.). In some embodiments,the reminders and notifications may be sent via email, text messaging,or any other push notification. In some embodiments, the reminders andnotifications may be presented on the user's TV screen. In someembodiments, the reminders and notifications may be for any appropriatecontent. For example, they may be provided when a new season is startingof a show that the user likes, etc.

In some embodiments, media content is aggregated across multipleplatforms. For example, if a particular program is available both onNetflix and on cable, a single representation of that program may bepresented to the user. In some embodiments, the social TV app or socialnetworking system 160 determines the media content (e.g., entity) thatthe user wants to watch instead of how (e.g., what channel) the userwants to watch it on. In some embodiments, a central aggregation pointis provided that allows the social TV app or social networking system160 to pull from multiple ways to watch the content. In someembodiments, a canonical representation of all shows in stored in the OGand the representation is agnostic of the channel of that show. In someembodiments, an action edge in the OG tracks how the content is beingwatched (e.g., from Hulu, Netflix, cable, etc.). In some embodiments,the recommendations feed includes recommendations for recorded content(e.g., on a DVR), on-demand content, and pay-per-view content, not justchannels that are available from the STB.

FIG. 18 illustrates an example computer system 1800. In particularembodiments, one or more computer systems 1800 perform one or more stepsof one or more methods described or illustrated herein. In particularembodiments, one or more computer systems 1800 provide functionalitydescribed or illustrated herein. In particular embodiments, softwarerunning on one or more computer systems 1800 performs one or more stepsof one or more methods described or illustrated herein or providesfunctionality described or illustrated herein. Particular embodimentsinclude one or more portions of one or more computer systems 1800.Herein, reference to a computer system may encompass a computing device,where appropriate. Moreover, reference to a computer system mayencompass one or more computer systems, where appropriate.

This disclosure contemplates any suitable number of computer systems1800. This disclosure contemplates computer system 1800 taking anysuitable physical form. As example and not by way of limitation,computer system 1800 may be an embedded computer system, asystem-on-chip (SOC), a single-board computer system (SBC) (such as, forexample, a computer-on-module (COM) or system-on-module (SOM)), adesktop computer system, a laptop or notebook computer system, aninteractive kiosk, a mainframe, a mesh of computer systems, a mobiletelephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a server, a tabletcomputer system, or a combination of two or more of these. Whereappropriate, computer system 1800 may include one or more computersystems 1800; be unitary or distributed; span multiple locations; spanmultiple machines; span multiple data centers; or reside in a cloud,which may include one or more cloud components in one or more networks.Where appropriate, one or more computer systems 1800 may perform withoutsubstantial spatial or temporal limitation one or more steps of one ormore methods described or illustrated herein. As an example and not byway of limitation, one or more computer systems 1800 may perform in realtime or in batch mode one or more steps of one or more methods describedor illustrated herein. One or more computer systems 1800 may perform atdifferent times or at different locations one or more steps of one ormore methods described or illustrated herein, where appropriate.

In particular embodiments, computer system 1800 includes a processor1802, memory 1804, storage 1806, an input/output (I/O) interface 1808, acommunication interface 1810, and a bus 1812. Although this disclosuredescribes and illustrates a particular computer system having aparticular number of particular components in a particular arrangement,this disclosure contemplates any suitable computer system having anysuitable number of any suitable components in any suitable arrangement.

In particular embodiments, processor 1802 includes hardware forexecuting instructions, such as those making up a computer program. Asan example and not by way of limitation, to execute instructions,processor 1802 may retrieve (or fetch) the instructions from an internalregister, an internal cache, memory 1804, or storage 1806; decode andexecute them; and then write one or more results to an internalregister, an internal cache, memory 1804, or storage 1806. In particularembodiments, processor 1802 may include one or more internal caches fordata, instructions, or addresses. This disclosure contemplates processor1802 including any suitable number of any suitable internal caches,where appropriate. As an example and not by way of limitation, processor1802 may include one or more instruction caches, one or more datacaches, and one or more translation lookaside buffers (TLBs).Instructions in the instruction caches may be copies of instructions inmemory 1804 or storage 1806, and the instruction caches may speed upretrieval of those instructions by processor 1802. Data in the datacaches may be copies of data in memory 1804 or storage 1806 forinstructions executing at processor 1802 to operate on; the results ofprevious instructions executed at processor 1802 for access bysubsequent instructions executing at processor 1802 or for writing tomemory 1804 or storage 1806; or other suitable data. The data caches mayspeed up read or write operations by processor 1802. The TLBs may speedup virtual-address translation for processor 1802. In particularembodiments, processor 1802 may include one or more internal registersfor data, instructions, or addresses. This disclosure contemplatesprocessor 1802 including any suitable number of any suitable internalregisters, where appropriate. Where appropriate, processor 1802 mayinclude one or more arithmetic logic units (ALUs); be a multi-coreprocessor; or include one or more processors 1802. Although thisdisclosure describes and illustrates a particular processor, thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable processor.

In particular embodiments, memory 1804 includes main memory for storinginstructions for processor 1802 to execute or data for processor 1802 tooperate on. As an example and not by way of limitation, computer system1800 may load instructions from storage 1806 or another source (such as,for example, another computer system 1800) to memory 1804. Processor1802 may then load the instructions from memory 1804 to an internalregister or internal cache. To execute the instructions, processor 1802may retrieve the instructions from the internal register or internalcache and decode them. During or after execution of the instructions,processor 1802 may write one or more results (which may be intermediateor final results) to the internal register or internal cache. Processor1802 may then write one or more of those results to memory 1804. Inparticular embodiments, processor 1802 executes only instructions in oneor more internal registers or internal caches or in memory 1804 (asopposed to storage 1806 or elsewhere) and operates only on data in oneor more internal registers or internal caches or in memory 1804 (asopposed to storage 1806 or elsewhere). One or more memory buses (whichmay each include an address bus and a data bus) may couple processor1802 to memory 1804. Bus 1812 may include one or more memory buses, asdescribed below. In particular embodiments, one or more memorymanagement units (MMUs) reside between processor 1802 and memory 1804and facilitate accesses to memory 1804 requested by processor 1802. Inparticular embodiments, memory 1804 includes random access memory (RAM).This RAM may be volatile memory, where appropriate. Where appropriate,this RAM may be dynamic RAM (DRAM) or static RAM (SRAM). Moreover, whereappropriate, this RAM may be single-ported or multi-ported RAM. Thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable RAM. Memory 1804 may include one ormore memories 1804, where appropriate. Although this disclosuredescribes and illustrates particular memory, this disclosurecontemplates any suitable memory.

In particular embodiments, storage 1806 includes mass storage for dataor instructions. As an example and not by way of limitation, storage1806 may include a hard disk drive (HDD), a floppy disk drive, flashmemory, an optical disc, a magneto-optical disc, magnetic tape, or aUniversal Serial Bus (USB) drive or a combination of two or more ofthese. Storage 1806 may include removable or non-removable (or fixed)media, where appropriate. Storage 1806 may be internal or external tocomputer system 1800, where appropriate. In particular embodiments,storage 1806 is non-volatile, solid-state memory. In particularembodiments, storage 1806 includes read-only memory (ROM). Whereappropriate, this ROM may be mask-programmed ROM, programmable ROM(PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM),electrically alterable ROM (EAROM), or flash memory or a combination oftwo or more of these. This disclosure contemplates mass storage 1806taking any suitable physical form. Storage 1806 may include one or morestorage control units facilitating communication between processor 1802and storage 1806, where appropriate. Where appropriate, storage 1806 mayinclude one or more storages 1806. Although this disclosure describesand illustrates particular storage, this disclosure contemplates anysuitable storage.

In particular embodiments, I/O interface 1808 includes hardware,software, or both providing one or more interfaces for communicationbetween computer system 1800 and one or more I/O devices. Computersystem 1800 may include one or more of these I/O devices, whereappropriate. One or more of these I/O devices may enable communicationbetween a person and computer system 1800. As an example and not by wayof limitation, an I/O device may include a keyboard, keypad, microphone,monitor, mouse, printer, scanner, speaker, still camera, stylus, tablet,touch screen, trackball, video camera, another suitable I/O device or acombination of two or more of these. An I/O device may include one ormore sensors. This disclosure contemplates any suitable I/O devices andany suitable I/O interfaces 1808 for them. Where appropriate, I/Ointerface 1808 may include one or more device or software driversenabling processor 1802 to drive one or more of these I/O devices. I/Ointerface 1808 may include one or more I/O interfaces 1808, whereappropriate. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates aparticular 110/O interface, this disclosure contemplates any suitableI/O interface.

In particular embodiments, communication interface 1810 includeshardware, software, or both providing one or more interfaces forcommunication (such as, for example, packet-based communication) betweencomputer system 1800 and one or more other computer systems 1800 or oneor more networks. As an example and not by way of limitation,communication interface 1810 may include a network interface controller(NIC) or network adapter for communicating with an Ethernet or otherwire-based network or a wireless NIC (WNIC) or wireless adapter forcommunicating with a wireless network, such as a WI-FI network. Thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable network and any suitablecommunication interface 1810 for it. As an example and not by way oflimitation, computer system 1800 may communicate with an ad hoc network,a personal area network (PAN), a local area network (LAN), a wide areanetwork (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), or one or moreportions of the Internet or a combination of two or more of these. Oneor more portions of one or more of these networks may be wired orwireless. As an example, computer system 1800 may communicate with awireless PAN (WPAN) (such as, for example, a BLUETOOTH WPAN), a WI-FInetwork, a WI-MAX network, a cellular telephone network (such as, forexample, a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network), orother suitable wireless network or a combination of two or more ofthese. Computer system 1800 may include any suitable communicationinterface 1810 for any of these networks, where appropriate.Communication interface 1810 may include one or more communicationinterfaces 1810, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describesand illustrates a particular communication interface, this disclosurecontemplates any suitable communication interface.

In particular embodiments, bus 1812 includes hardware, software, or bothcoupling components of computer system 1800 to each other. As an exampleand not by way of limitation, bus 1812 may include an AcceleratedGraphics Port (AGP) or other graphics bus, an Enhanced Industry StandardArchitecture (EISA) bus, a front-side bus (FSB), a HYPERTRANSPORT (HT)interconnect, an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, an INFINIBANDinterconnect, a low-pin-count (LPC) bus, a memory bus, a Micro ChannelArchitecture (MCA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, aPCI-Express (PCIe) bus, a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA)bus, a Video Electronics Standards Association local (VLB) bus, oranother suitable bus or a combination of two or more of these. Bus 1812may include one or more buses 1812, where appropriate. Although thisdisclosure describes and illustrates a particular bus, this disclosurecontemplates any suitable bus or interconnect.

Herein, a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium or media mayinclude one or more semiconductor-based or other integrated circuits(ICs) (such, as for example, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) orapplication-specific ICs (ASICs)), hard disk drives (HDDs), hybrid harddrives (HHDs), optical discs, optical disc drives (ODDs),magneto-optical discs, magneto-optical drives, floppy diskettes, floppydisk drives (FDDs), magnetic tapes, solid-state drives (SSDs),RAM-drives, SECURE DIGITAL cards or drives, any other suitablecomputer-readable non-transitory storage media, or any suitablecombination of two or more of these, where appropriate. Acomputer-readable non-transitory storage medium may be volatile,non-volatile, or a combination of volatile and non-volatile, whereappropriate.

Herein, “or” is inclusive and not exclusive, unless expressly indicatedotherwise or indicated otherwise by context. Therefore, herein, “A or B”means “A, B, or both,” unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicatedotherwise by context. Moreover, “and” is both joint and several, unlessexpressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context.Therefore, herein, “A and B” means “A and B, jointly or severally,”unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context.

The scope of this disclosure encompasses all changes, substitutions,variations, alterations, and modifications to the example embodimentsdescribed or illustrated herein that a person having ordinary skill inthe art would comprehend. The scope of this disclosure is not limited tothe example embodiments described or illustrated herein. Moreover,although this disclosure describes and illustrates respectiveembodiments herein as including particular components, elements,functions, operations, or steps, any of these embodiments may includeany combination or permutation of any of the components, elements,functions, operations, or steps described or illustrated anywhere hereinthat a person having ordinary skill in the art would comprehend.Furthermore, reference in the appended claims to an apparatus or systemor a component of an apparatus or system being adapted to, arranged to,capable of, configured to, enabled to, operable to, or operative toperform a particular function encompasses that apparatus, system,component, whether or not it or that particular function is activated,turned on, or unlocked, as long as that apparatus, system, or componentis so adapted, arranged, capable, configured, enabled, operable, oroperative.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: by one or more computers ofa social-networking system, receiving, from a client system of a user ofthe social-networking system, an indication that the user of thesocial-networking system selected a program to watch; by the one or morecomputers of a social-networking system, starting a timer in response toreceiving the indication that the user of the social-networking systemselected the program to watch; and by the one or more computers of thesocial-networking, system, in response to the timer counting apredetermined amount of time after receiving the indication that theuser of the social-networking system selected the program to watch,publishing a story to a timeline of the user on the social-networkingsystem, the story comprising: a visual indication that the user watchedor is watching the program; a first user-selectable option to share thestory with one or more friends or connections of the user on thesocial-networking system; a second user-selectable option to indicate tothe social-networking system that the user likes the story; and a thirduser-selectable option that permits the user to remove the story fromthe timeline of the user.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the storycomprises an advertisement of the program.
 3. The method of claim 1,further comprising, by the one or more computers of thesocial-networking system, providing an option for display on a displaydevice configured to allow the user change a particular privacy settingafter the story is published to the social-networking system.
 4. One ormore computer-readable non-transitory storage media in one or morecomputing systems, the media embodying logic that is operable whenexecuted to: receive, from a client system of a user of thesocial-networking system, an indication that the user of thesocial-networking system selected a program to watch; start a timer inresponse to receiving the indication that the user of thesocial-networking system selected the program to watch; and in responseto the timer counting a predetermined amount of time after receiving theindication that the user of the social-networking system selected theprogram to watch, publish a story to a timeline of the user on thesocial-networking system, the story comprising: a visual indication thatthe user watched or is watching the program; a first user-selectableoption to share the story with one or more friends or connections of theuser on the social-networking system; a second user-selectable option toindicate to the social-networking system that the user likes the story;and a third user-selectable option that permits the user to remove thestory from the timeline of the user.
 5. The media of claim 4, whereinthe story comprises an advertisement of the program.
 6. The media ofclaim 4, wherein the logic is further operable to provide an option fordisplay on a display device configured to allow the user to change aparticular privacy setting after the story is published to thesocial-networking system.
 7. A system comprising: one or more memorydevices; and a processor communicatively coupled to the one or morememory devices, the processor operable to: receive, from a client systemof a user of the social-networking system, an indication that the userof the social-networking system selected a program to watch; start atimer in response to receiving the indication that the user of thesocial-networking system selected the program to watch; and in responseto the timer counting a predetermined amount of time after receiving theindication that the user of the social-networking system selected theprogram to watch, publish a story to a timeline of the user on thesocial-networking system, the story comprising: a visual indication thatthe user watched or is watching the program; a first user-selectableoption to share the story with one or more friends or connections of theuser on the social-networking system; a second user-selectable option toindicate to the social-networking system that the user likes the story;and a third user-selectable option that permits the user to remove thestory from the timeline of the user.
 8. The system of claim 7, whereinthe story comprises an advertisement of the program.